Council leader's plea over development threat to 'mature trees and wildlife' near where he lives

Scenic - this photo has been submitted by the applicants to support the proposal

NORTH East Lincolnshire Council leader Cllr Philip Jackson has joined the clamour of protest over a proposal for a development in a green and leafy village on the outskirts of Grimsby.

His is among scores of objections to a plan by a Binbrook couple to build a luxury house, with garage and driveway, on land adjacent to The Old Rectory on Main Road in Ashby-cum-Fenby.

In a submission to NELC's planning department, Cllr Jackson, who is ward  representative, says:  "This would be  over-intensive development on a key heritage site within the village. 

"It would  have an adverse  effect on the street scene. 

"The access and egress will be at the narrowest part of Main Road and  will present a highways safety issue."

The council leader continues: "There will be an adverse effect on mature trees and well-established wildlife. 

"The village infrastructure, especially the drainage system. will be overburdened."

Cllr Jackson, who lives in nearby Barnoldby-le-Beck, certainly has a point about the wildlife - the network of ponds on the site provide one of the last breeding habitats in the borough for rare great crested newts.

It is also incredibly rich in finches, warblers and other songbirds.

However, having carried out surveys, the applicants are confident that their project will be sufficiently sympathetic as to cause minimum disruption to existing nature.

The proposal is due to be considered at NELC's planning committee tomorrow, Wednesday (June 10) with a recommendation from case officer Bethany Loring that it should be approved.

Says she:  "The proposal for one dwelling on this development site is acceptable in this residential area. 

"It is considered it can be achieved without harm to the character of the area and  street scene, and it would not give rise to detrimental impacts in terms of residential  amenity, highway safety or drainage."

                                      

Great crested newts like living in  Ashby-cum Fenby. (Photo: Rainer Theuer via Wikimedia Commons)