Mammoth housing development would swell population of Immingham - but will it be approved?

A new 'community' for Immingham?  Beal Homes Chief Executive Richard Beal, left, and Land Director Chris Murphy 

MORE details have emerged of a proposed new housing development on the outskirts of Immingham.

Hessle-based Beal Homes already have outline planning permission, dating back to 2019, to build more than 500 homes on a 57-acre farmland site at Highfield House, off Stallingborough Road.

The firm has now said that the properties will comprise 525 in total as follows:

* 170 two-bedroom houses

* 304 three-bedroom houses 

* 51 four bedroom-houses

But there is one last hurdle to clear.

At a meeting next Wednesday, June 12, the £1-5-million project still need  to be rubber-stamped  by North East Lincolnshire Council planning meeting.

It is being recommended for approval by the planning case officer, but committee members have also been asked to give due to consideration to numerous objections from residents in

* Talbot Road

* Pilgrims Way

* Mull Way

* Paddock Court

* Tummel Court

* Jasmine Way

* Holbeck Place

* Princess Street

* Bluestone Lane

* Spinney Close

* Thornton Place

* Stallingborough Road

* Lundy Court

* Margaret Street

They have objected on the following grounds:

* Lack of infrastructure (such as dentists and doctors)i

* Traffic generation and highway safety

* Impact on drainage and flood risk

* Impact on ecology

* Impact on public rights of way;

* Impact on the overall character of Immingham

There has also been a call from a Boston-based conservationist  for the installation in some of the properties of  nestbricks for swifts - a bird in  decline in North East Lincolnshire, partly through loss of nesting habitat.

Writes campaigner Barry Hancock: "Swifts are in trouble. The UK has seen numbers plummeting with steep declines since the 1990s.

"Anything you can do to encourage developers and applicants to incorporate swift bricks into building plans could be precious."

Richard Beal, Chief Executive of East Yorkshire-based Beal, comments: "This application sets out our plans to bring hundreds of much-needed, high-quality new homes to Immingham.

"It represents a major vote of confidence in the housing market in the town and the wider area. We see Immingham as a place with strong pent-up demand for new homes as well as potential for further growth, driven by major investment on the south bank of the Humber.

"We propose to deliver this development over coming years, meaning we will be investing millions of pounds into the area year after year, creating new jobs in construction and supporting services.

"The plans are for a wide range of properties, including starter homes that will enable local first-time buyers to take their first step onto the housing ladder."

The development is less than a 10-minute walk into Immingham town centre, which has a wide range of services, including retail, leisure, hospitality and healthcare facilities, with direct access via an existing footpath. It is also within easy walking distance of bus stops, with regular services to Grimsby.

Beal Land Director Chris Murphy said: "We have worked closely with planning officers at North East Lincolnshire Council and other key stakeholders to develop and refine these proposals.

"The development will offer a natural extension to existing housing in Immingham and will enhance the quality, availability and choice of homes in the town."

What about the swifts?

Beal says its policy is to "create the places that enhance and protect the environment", but, alas, there is no provision in the plans for installation of nestbricks.