Thumbs-down for 225 new homes in Humberston despite developer's country park spruce-up pledge

                                                                 

Curlews - this priority species overwinters in grassland and on mudflats

THERE has been a serious setback for Cyden Homes' proposal to build 225 homes in Humberston.

The fast-growing housebuilder appealed to the independent Planning Inspectorate  after North East Lincolnshire Council last year refused to grant consent.

This is because the 9.50-hectare paddock-quality grassland site, off Midfield Road, is over-wintering habitat for a wading bird, the curlew, a fast-declining species now under threat of global extinction.

Most of the curlew have historically migrated to the site to escape the harsh winter weather in Finland where they breed. 

By way of mitigation, Cyden pledged to contribute £78,917.00 towards improvements to Cleethorpes Country Park which is near the site. 

But after a hearing at Grimsby Town Hall, the inspector, Louise Crosby deemed the mitigation offer insufficient and dismissed the appeal.

Her report concludes: "Whilst the proposal would  provide much needed market and affordable housing, the benefits of the scheme do not outweigh the harm to biodiversity -  in particular to the likely significant effects on the Humber Special Protection Area and Site of Special Scientific Interest."

The decision will delight Natural England and the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust who both objected to the scheme.

In a written statement to the appeal hearing, the former  said: "There has been pressure for development around the estuary for decades.

"This has intensified in recent years. 

"As a result of these development pressures, Natural 

England has become increasingly concerned about loss of habitat.

"This may result in an increase in local bird densities and have consequences for individual bird fitness in terms of increased energy expenditure for flight, competition with other birds for food, and lack of knowledge of foraging resources in other areas which 

might make it more difficult to find food.

"It is important to avoid impacts on curlew, given their conservation status."

 

Also delighted will be the many villagers who protested that the development would create enormous pressure on infrastructure, particularly the roads leading to the field.

The Humberston field - other birds sometimes to be seen include  barn owls which hunt for voles and other small mammals