Councillor's alert on controversial housing scheme: "We risk creating a traffic congestion monster!"

                                                

Cllr Lindley: "We should not be frightened of the consequences of our decisions"

ALLOWING a 249-house development off a busy stretch of highway in New Waltham would risk creating a "traffic congestion monster".

That was the claim of Cllr Ian Lindley at today's North East Lincolnshire Council planning meeting held in Grimsby Town Hall.

His comments came during a 70-minute debate which ended with councillors controversially voting 6-5 to refuse the planning application submitted by Cyden Homes for the development off Louth Road near the New Waltham boundary with Holton-le-Clay.

The decision came despite forceful presentations from planning case officer Richard Limmer and head of planning Martin Dixon who commended the scheme for according with  highways, ecology, landscape, design and other criteria. 

Most significant all, as the duo noted, the site has already been  allocated for housing in the Local Plan.

However, concern was expressed by, among others, ward councillor Stan Shreeve, Cllr Henry Hudson,  Cllr Lloyd Emmerson and Cllr Paul Bright, with the last of these highlighting problems that had been created with corresponding developments in Scartho.

Cllr Hayden Dawkins was particularly vexed by the prospect of traffic lights being installed  at the junction of Louth Road and the access to the site.

"What is it about NELC's highways department that deems every new junction needs traffic lights?" he demanded. "Have officers not heard of roundabouts?"

Cllr Bill Parkinson unsuccessfully called for the application to be deferred with the hope that officers might be able to negotiate an "improved scheme" with an additional access road.  

While acknowledging that the scheme would increase congestion,  Cllr Edward Kaczmarak said he would vote in support of the proposal "albeit reluctantly".

"Just because there would be an increase in traffic is not sufficient justification for refusing the application," he declared.

Both Cllr Kevin Shutt and Cllr Janet Goodwin described themselves as "conflicted" by the proposal, with the latter warning that, if the developer were to win any subsequent appeal, the financial cost to the council could be heavy.

This point was heeded by Cllr Matthew Patrick who maintained that any appeal by the applicant was, indeed, likely to be successful. "We should beware of giving false hope to objectors," he warned.

But Cllr Lindley was sticking to his guns. 

"It is our job as councillors to determine applications," he maintained. "We should not be frightened of the consequences of our decisions."

"I say again - we must not create a monster, we must not feed the monster."

It is understood Cyden Homes will scrutinise  the refusal notice from NELC before deciding whether to submit an appeal to the Bristol-based Planning Inspectorate.

                                         

Layout of the proposed development off Louth Road in New Waltham

                                                         

Committee members ponder the controversial planning application