South Holland register of sites suitable for residential development to be published

Some of South Holland's most run-down sites have been named in a list of places with the potential to become new housing.

The Bridge Hotel, in Sutton Bridge, The Bull Hotel, in Long Sutton, and the recently sold Red Cow Hotel, in Donington, all appear in an updated register of sites where residential development is "suitable, available and achieveable".

South Holland's Brownfield Land Register (BLR), previously developed sites that can be turned into housing, is required by the Government as a way to increase the number of homes built across the country.

In total, 23 sites across the area are listed in the register, with the potential for creating a total of just over 500 new homes.

Coun Roger Gambba-Jones, vice chairman of the district council's planning committee, said: "The BLR is a mechanism introduced by the Government several years ago to encourage those who own the sites to bring them forward for development.

"For whatever reason, these owners may feel that there are some hurdles in the way of bringing them forward.

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"So the local authority is required to take that next step and say: 'If you wish for these sites to be brought forward for development, the council is open to considering them.'"

The area's first BLR was published in 2017 and since then, six sites have been removed as they have been, or are being developed.

These include the former Spalding Lifestyle outlet in Pinchbeck, now being turned into 72 new homes, The Bell Inn and The Chequers Hotel, both in Holbeach, which are being redeveloped for residential and commercial use.

Planning committee members are due to consider the latest BLR at a meeting tomorrow night and Coun Gambba-Jones said: "It isn't particularly controversial and it's specifically designed to flag up to the community that these sites could be developed at some point in the future.

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"It's a way to get people to think about these sites and to put their views forward."

An extract from a report for Wednesday's planning committee meeting said: "The BLR provides publicly available information on brownfield (previously developed) land that is suitable for housing.

"However, the fact that sites may be 'suitable' does not mean housing on such sites will be 'acceptable.'"

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