Stamford residents aim to block housing proposal by making site a 'village green'
Stamford residents hoping to prevent development on a riverside meadow have submitted an application for ‘village green’ status.
The move aims to protect the 0.89ha site off Cherryholt Road from a planning application from the Longhurst Group for 33 ‘affordable’ homes.
Longhurst says the homes will address Stamford’s shortage of affordable homes, they would be limited to two-storeys to be sensitive to the nearby St Leonard’s Priory, and amenity space near the river would keep the footpath open.
However, Sean Maddox of the ‘Save Cherryholt Meadow’ campaign group said residents oppose development on the ‘much used and loved local green.’
He says the site, owned by the Cecil Family Trust, is used daily by walkers and contains wildlife and rare flowers, helped by the pasture not being ploughed since 1975.
Sean believes applying for ‘village green’ status will give the site extra protection against development.
But such approval, if granted, could take two years.
He continued: “This meadow is part of the only large green space in the east of Stamford, and is close to both the River Welland and the beautiful priory.
"It provides a unique safe space for all, especially for those with children and dogs, due to its enclosed nature and separation from roads. You really do feel you are in the countryside.”
Responding, David Stutting, head of land and planning at Longhurst Group, said: “As we have consistently demonstrated, affordability remains a significant issue in Stamford and there is a critical need for affordable housing of this kind in the area.
“It is fact that households on the average income in the town can only borrow less than half the average house price in the area. This means that people who have lived in Stamford all of their lives are being priced out and forced to move away from family and lifelong friends to live elsewhere in Bourne, Deepings or Peterborough.
“Throughout the planning process, we’ve spoken to many residents who have shared genuine concerns about the lack of affordable housing in the area.
"We believe that those who have grown up and love living in Stamford should have the opportunity to continue to do so.”
Mr Stutting added: “We have been careful to ensure that the development, if approved, would be sympathetic to the local environment.
“Within our application, we have proposed to retain more than 20 per cent of the existing land as accessible, informal green open-space.
"The landscape design provides useable space for people to enjoy and creates new, clear and accessible pedestrian routes eastwards to the Priory and the River Welland.
“Our proposals would have no significant effect on the biodiversity of the site.
"The enhancements we’ve proposed to make should provide an even better environment for wildlife to flourish with the introduction of more native species across the site.
“Furthermore, we believe these proposals will improve the links to St Leonard’s Priory by providing better access to this much-loved part of Stamford’s heritage, with benches for dog walkers and other pedestrians to use during their visits.”
Stamford town councillor David Taylor, who is helping the town council devise its Neighbourhood Plan, submitted the application for ‘village green’ status to Lincolnshire County Council on behalf of the campaigners.
Coun Taylor (Con-St Mary’s) said, if passed, the status would protect the land ‘in perpetuity’ but it has to go through consultation, so nothing is guaranteed.
There was also no timetable as to how long this might take.
David Clark of the Lincolnshire County Council’s Commons Registration department said public notices on the application have now gone out and people have until December 13 to comment.
The applicant can respond to comments and people can, in turn, have a say on these responses.
Following this, all evidence and comments will be evaluated by the county council, which may decide to hold a public inquiry at which an independent inspector would make recommendations to the council planning committee.
