February 11, 2016 10.07 am This story is over 97 months old

Councillors unanimously reject plans for 200 homes in Lincoln village

Resounding rejection: Plans for 200 homes and a sports facility in a village north of Lincoln have been unanimously refused by councillors.
The proposed 200-homes development in Nettleham. Photo: Globe Consultants Ltd

Plans for 200 homes and a sports facility in a village north of Lincoln have been unanimously refused by councillors.

Beal Homes Ltd submitted the plans for the land north of Larch Avenue and south of a beck in Nettleham in May 2015.

A decision on the development was deferred in January, as councillors conducted a site inspection.

This was the first planning decision to be made since Nettleham villagers voted overwhelmingly to adopt a neighbourhood plan, giving them a greater say on planning applications.

The plan has not been formally adopted by West Lindsey District Council but was at the forefront in the minds of councillors in rejecting the development at a meeting on February 10.

Councillor David Cotton, who brought forward the motion for refusal, said: “It is quite clear from the Nettleham Neighbourhood Plan what their aspirations are.

“Taking that into account, I cannot and will not support this application. What this application sets out to deliver is an area that the village of Nettleham doesn’t want. It doesn’t want further sports fields, it doesn’t necessarily want further green open spaces.”

Councillor Roger Patterson added: “The development as it stands with 200 houses would cause significant harm to the local environment.

“If we were to go against the neighbourhood plan it would betray local residents and send out the message that you might as well not bother and we don’t care about localism.”

Left to right, Joseph Siddall, vice chair of the Nettleham Neighbourhood Plan Steering Committee, John Evans, chair of the Nettleham Neighbourhood Plan Steering Committee, Chair of Nettleham Parish Council Terry Williams and West Lindsey District Councillors, Steve England and Giles McNeill at the Guildhall, Gainsborough

Left to right, Joseph Siddall, vice chair of the Nettleham Neighbourhood Plan Steering Committee, John Evans, chair of the Nettleham Neighbourhood Plan Steering Committee, Chair of Nettleham Parish Council Terry Williams and West Lindsey District Councillors, Steve England and Giles McNeill at the Guildhall, Gainsborough

At the same meeting, councillors approved plans for 13 homes in Cherry Willingham but rejected a development for five properties in the same village.