Moulton Park purchase could be sunk by ‘nonsense’ highways condition

The man trying to get a parkland finally open to the public has hit out at highways chiefs – and warned that ‘nonsense’ planning conditions could scupper the acquisition of this site for a village.

Richard Lewis warned that the John and Maureen Biggadike Foundation may not now proceed with the purchase of Moulton Park from South Holland District Council due to the ‘unacceptable’ conditions imposed on the change of use planning application for the site.

Highways had come under fire for not raising any concerns about a care home near a ‘busy’ Spalding junction - where accident concerns have been raised - but had stated that the Moulton Park application was ‘unacceptable in highways and transport terms’ - implying that the park was being held to a higher standard than housing developments.

Mr Lewis, foundation chairman, told members of the planning committee that the provision of this park could be sunk if the condition 13 – which would force the foundation to produce statements over a ten year period including parking arrangements and ‘ensuring highways safety of the site’ – meaning Moulton could have to wait even longer for a play area.

But the concerns of Mr Lewis and ward members were ignored as the committee passed the application and retained the conditions. Members advised that the foundation that it could submit another application to ask for those requirements to be altered. It was not clear if the foundation would be charged for that application.

Speaking at Wednesday’s meeting Mr Lewis said it was a ‘travesty’ that the parkland had not been opened to the public since being purchased by the district council eight years ago.

He said: “The conditions are wholly unacceptable. Condition 13 relates to highways and is a nonsense.

“We had a lengthy decision about the Bull and Monkie, one of the busiest junctions in Spalding and there were no highways considerations. (Yet) Bell Lane in Moulton and highways raise all sorts of issues. Children can cross A151 without a pedestrian crossing but they can’t cross over Bell Lane.

“We won’t be able to proceed with the purchase if condition 13 remains. We could end up investing thousands of pounds on an asset that highways can close down.”

Mr Lewis also stated that other conditions, which would prevent work taking place between May and September, were a ‘bureaucratic arrangement’ to delay occupation.

He added: “We need to make sure this park is now not in the future. If work can’t start until September that means we can’t open the park until this work is completed.”

Planning officers told the committee that they written the conditions due to the lack of information in the application.

Moulton councillor Andrew Woolf told the meeting that Moulton had been waiting the best part of 50 years for the park to be opened and increase recreation space.

He said: “Highways, being blunt, have made a pig’s ear of this and put a stranglehold over it.”

Coun Woolf later said: “We are not creating Alton Towers – it is a very simple park. Condition 13 is completely outrageous and should be completely removed.”

Condition 13 was also branded as ‘ridiculous’ by fellow ward member, Coun Anthony Casson, and his colleague Coun Thomas Sneath also called on the committee to take on board the comments.

He said: “Moulton Park, for many residents, is seen as fantastic open space which they have been lucky enough to enter once or twice.”

Coun Paul Redgate called for the retention of the conditions after expressing nervousness of the impact of the project on nearby Bell Lane.

He said: “With condition 13 I don’t think it is meant to be a blocker but it is about providing information back to this authority that will allow us the ability to see the success of the site.”

Committee chairman James Avery said he was also not sure about the removal of condition 13 but was happy to see the number of reports cut from three to two after five years.

Coun Bryan Alcock said the foundation needed to ‘get on with some work’ with the park.

Head of planning Phil Norman said that officers had taken a ‘balanced view’ and that there was an element of the ‘unknown’ with the application.

The committee had earlier this year approved Moulton Parish Council’s change of use application for a third of an acre on the site to create a play area.

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