Deeping St Nicholas to get 120 homes and a village hall

Plans for 120 homes and a village hall in Deeping St Nicholas were given the green light by councillors.

Members of South Holland District Council approved a scheme for Home Farm, off the A1175, at their meeting last Thursday.

The plans, from Ray Turner Partnership, had been through several versions and should now feature 11 affordable homes - eight for rent and three for shared ownership.

At the meeting, Coun Peter Coupland worried whether the affordable housing might be cut at a later stage.

Development manager Richard Fidler said the village hall will cost £800,000 - and that the developer had upped its affordable homes provision from 3.3% to 9.17% of the scheme after discussions with officers.

Coun Andrew Tennant highlighted the fact that the majority of the site falls outside the land earmarked for development in the council’s local plan - and the number of homes exceeds the total suggested for Deeping St Nicholas.

He said: “What worries me is do the people of Deeping St Nicholas want this? Is the price of a village hall worth paying for?”

Several members said that Deeping St Nicholas needed a village hall to act as a meeting place for community activities and that residents had said they wanted this facility. Designs suggested that the hall will face the road, with houses set back.

Coun Rodney Grocock said: “Because they have never had anything like this for many, many years I think it will be an absolute winner for them.”

Coun Andrew Woolf said that the plan originally ‘put a shiver down my spine’ but that he was impressed by the package on offer.

As well as the affordable homes and village hall, the developer is set to pay £605,932 for education and £79,920 for healthcare.

Coun Woolf said: “When we have got something come forward with what’s on offer, I think it’s what we expect - but it’s often what we have to fight against or struggle to fight against.”

Coun Bryan Alcock said: “I believe it’s absolutely incredible what’s been able to be supported from this application. The education contribution is significant and the health is quite reasonable, plus there’s some affordable houses.”

All members voted in favour, except Coun Tennant.