Councillors confirm rejection of BP and Marks and Spencer service station plans at Market Deeping
Councillors have confirmed a decision to oppose plans for a BP filling station with a Marks and Spencer convenience store just north of the A15 Market Deeping bypass.
The planning committee of South Kesteven District Council voted against the proposal last month, but council officers told members to prepare their arguments in greater detail and clarity should they need to be defended at an appeal.
The application came up again at planning committee on Wednesday, with members overwhelmingly voting against the project, despite officer recommendations to support it.
Coun Phil Dilks (Ind-Deeping St James) joined other councillors in speaking out against the proposal, saying the scheme was at the ‘wrong’ side of the bypass.
He told the Mercury yesterday: “It’s clearly in the wrong place. If it comes back at the Deepings side of the bypass, it would be a different story.”
Coun Dilks thanked Coun Ashley Baxter (Ind- Market and West Deeping) for ‘calling in’ the application, so it was decided by councillors , rather than planning staff.
He also thanked planning committee chairman Bob Adams (Con-Isaac Newton) and Robert Reid (Con-Bourne Austerby) for their support in opposing the scheme.
Coun Baxter added: “It was a greenfield site on the wrong side of the by-pass. It would have spoiled the rural area separating Market Deeping from Langtoft. People need petrol but we shouldn't wreck the countryside to get it.”
