Call for assurances over Keston Fields’ Mill Green Road development in Pinchbeck – as councillor says firm has form for ‘sliding out’ of contributions

The chairman of a planning committee wanted assurance that a developer ‘could not slide out of contributions’ to help boost public services after getting permission to build 13 new homes.

Pinchbeck ward member Coun James Avery demanded reassurance that Keston Fields Ltd will cough up £96,320 for education and health along with three affordable homes for the latest application for a former nursery site in the village.

The site in Mill Green Road, Pinchbeck, had been granted planning permission for 100 homes in 2019 but a location plan submitted with a reserved matters application did not include the parcel of land this latest application relates to.

A meeting of South Holland District Council’s planning committee was told on Wednesday that the principle of development had lapsed as a condition of the original consent was to have a reserved matters application submitted within three years.

However, no reserved matters approval was sought for this parcel of land and that the site is now considered ‘countryside’ as it is outside of the settlement boundary.

But an officer’s report stated that it can be argued that the site benefits from an outline planning permission.

Coun Avery expressed concerns about the traffic along Mill Green Road - along with asking for assurance that the developer will provide three affordable homes, £87,740 education contribution and £8,580 for health.

He said: “Traffic is like water it takes the path of least resistance, we have more traffic along Mill Green Road due to existence of 100 dwellings and this development can only add to that.

“I would like assurance that the developer can’t slide out of this contribution as they have form.”

Coun Sophie Hutchinson was disappointed that the committee could not properly assess the application as a whole.

She said: “Wherever possible full plans should be assessed.”

Officers had replied that this was the ‘first time in 25 years’ that a plan had been put forward in this fashion.

The committee unanimously approved the officers’ recommendation to grant planning permission for the site at Wednesday’s meeting.