Longhurst Group wins fight for Cherryholt Meadows housing plan in Stamford after South Kesteven District Council refused planning permission

A development company has won its fight to build homes on Stamford's East Meadows.

Plans for 31 homes near Cherryholt Road in Stamford were rejected by South Kesteven District Council in November 2020.

Members of the council's planning committee voted against the plans, submitted by the Longhurst Group, because of the resulting loss of green space and the impact on the setting of St Leonard’s Priory.

The Campaign to Protect and Restore Stamford’s East Meadows group was also set up to fight the plans and attracted more than 2,000 signatures to its petition.

However, keen to push the plans through, Longhurst took its case to the Planning Inspectorate, which has now approved the scheme after a site visit earlier this year.

The lead inspector described the 'benefits as outweighing the harm'.

Adding: "The council did not say that the site was in the countryside but rather described it as being in the centre of Stamford.

"Although it is a greenfield site and not previously developed land, that does not of itself prevent it being developed for housing."

It was also noted by the inspector that the 'proposal would cause less than substantial harm to the significance of the Priory'.

The proposed development is set to include six one-bedroom flats, 11 two-bedroom houses and 14 three-bedroom homes. They would all be affordable homes through shared ownership, rent to buy schemes or rentals.