Vistry Group responds to concerns about 75-home Ketton development

The developers of 75 new homes in a village were quizzed by residents at a heated meeting.

Vistry Homes’ outline plans for land off Park Road, Ketton were approved by the Planning Inspectorate in 2022, after they were refused by Rutland County Council a year earlier.

A reserved matters application was submitted in June, setting out details of the development but it has already fuelled dozens of objections.

The team behind the 75-home development visited Ketton on Tuesday (August 13) in a bid to allay concerns and answer questions.

Mike Walker, land and planning director, said: “For exactly the reasons you moved here is why I would look at buying a piece of land here.

“It’s not rocket science.

“I know it is emotive but it is a really nice village and site.

“We are here today because we are trying to work with you. If it becomes fractious, nobody wins.”

The development, if approved, will include two one-bed, 14 two-bed, 26 three-bed, 29 four-beds and four five-bed properties with a total of 187 car parking spaces. Five of the properties would be bungalows.

More than half of the 5.5 hectare site would be public open space and the development would include 30% affordable housing.

It was questioned why there weren’t more bungalows at the site, to which the developers explained there is a mix of properties so that something suitable for everyone - and because they are more expensive to build.

One resident claimed the new-builds will infringe their privacy and they are used to countryside views.

Mr Walker said: “Nobody is entitled to a view.

“I understand the concern but nothing is guaranteed forever,” adding that the resident’s neighbours would likely have been making the same complaint when their property was built.

A point of contention is the access from Bartles Hollow, which was given full approval in the outline planning application.

Despite numerous pleas at the meeting to consider changing it due to safety concerns, residents were told ‘that horse has bolted’.

Rob Hill, of Infrastructure Design, talked residents through plans for the infiltration basin and promised that the development would not worsen flooding, and if anything would aim to improve it.

It was also confirmed that developer contributions to the county and parish councils would total nearly £600,000 and that once the build starts it should be completed in under two years.

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