Footpath glitch for entrepreneur who wants to build 10 houses on Humberston field

The field - with Clarendon Hall care home in the background - faces an uncertain future

A PROPERTY developer has hit choppy water in his bid to build 10 houses on an overgrown meadow in Humberston.

It has emerged that a fragment of the land off South View that has been earmarked for two of the properties will enclose a longstanding public footpath.

 The applicant is Grimsby man Mr Dave Hughes who is also sole director of a London-based firm WHT Partnership Ltd.

One solution would be to re-route the footpath - an initiative which is, indeed, currently being pursued.

Unfortunately for  Mr Hughes the nature of this diversion is not favoured by North East Lincolnshire Council’s footpaths officer, Matthew Chaplin, who has lodged a protest.

Says he: "I object to the application mainly for the reason that the two properties on the eastern boundary and the close boarded fencing will enclose  Public Footpath 54.

"Diversion is currently being processed, but this would lead to it running between two 2-metre close boarded fences.

"This is not acceptable due to the potential for antisocial behaviour. Th e path would be  unattractive and threatening to the user."

Mr Chaplin continues: "The developer should endeavour to design a layout so that public paths form part of the public open space which is well overlooked. 

"A grass strip of reasonable width should be provided either side of the public right of way so that the path does not appear narrow and threatening. 

"The resulting green corridors could form part of the development's allocated open space thus assuring the continued maintenance of the grass verges by the appropriate authorities.

"If footpaths are pleasant and well maintained, they are more likely to be walked and become self policing."

Meanwhile, just as they did on two  previous occasions, householders in neighbouring properties are also objecting because they are unhappy at the prospect of increased traffic movements both during the construction phase and thereafter.

Although overgrown and unsightly, the 0.97-hectare field has a wealth of wildlife - mammals and birds plus butterflies, bees and other pollinating insects.

In 2019, a larger scheme - for 18 properties - was submitted by  North East Lincolnshire Council, then withdrawn because of the weight of opposition from neighbours.

Two years ago, a 14-property scheme, also submitted by the authority  was unexpectedly scuppered when councillors on the planning committee rejected the recommendation of planning officers and refused the application.

Subsequently, Humberston Village Council expressed interest in acquiring the site for the community, but, whether or not they submitted a formal bid, is not known. Certainly nothing has come of the idea.

And now Mr Hughes has swooped - and is keeping fingers crossed that it will be third time lucky for a development proposal..

According to NELC's property data manager Alison Cadd, the authority  sold the field for £550,000 on June 12 this year. 

That  sounds a lot, but it could be worth more than twice that amount if the applicant is successful in securing planning consent.

A decision on his proposal is expected early next year.

It is not known whether this will be made by NELC's planning committee or delegated to the case officer, Jonathan Cadd.

What - if anything - is to be done about Public Footpath 54?