Plans for three two-storey homes on vacant Crowland land deferred
Councillors agreed to defer plans to build three homes on vacant land in a town street - due to a number of concerns.
Drainage, refuse, parking, the cramped nature of the properties, design, visibility and access were among the reasons summarised by South Holland District Council Planning Committee chairman James Avery before receiving the unanimous vote on Wednesday (April 2).
Applicant Mr M. Blackburn wants to construct the three two-storey homes with garages on land off Peterborough Road in Crowland.
These new designs - which saw access to two plots from Peterborough Road and the third off the adjacent Blackbird Close - had been submitted after a previous plan was turned down by the committee due to being - as planning officers stated - a ‘poor design with amenity issues’.
"In terms of principal something can go in this site, but this isn’t it,” Coun Avery said.
Planning officers had recommended these new plans be approved, but after hearing from a member of the public who lives near the land, councillors began highlighting their concerns.
“It’s now more overbearing due to the two-storey element,” said the resident, who added that, if passed, the designs would leave him ‘hemmed in, which is not good for mental health’.
He also added that the window on bedroom two ‘overlooks front of my property’ and asked where visitors would park.
“Peterborough Road is full and lot of people are parking on side of road,” he added.
Key changes to the new submission had been that the properties were now two storey, plus a reduced footprint of the dwellings and more space between plots.
“I can’t come up with a planning reason for this to be refused, but for me it’s not right for the location in which it is set,” Coun Bryan Alcock told the chamber.
Coun Alcock backed the comments made by the resident, labelling them ‘perfectly valid’.
He also questioned why plot three needed to be a five-bedroom property.
“If it is a five bed, cars will be in excess of parking space,” he added.
Coun Paul Barnes described the plot as ‘cramped’ and pointed to a large green space behind the homes on the site design, musing whether a further application for a fourth property would be submitted if plans were passed.