Lincoln residents “outraged” at plans to remove area’s Urban Village status

Residents of Long Leys Road in Lincoln have started an online petition calling on councillors to save the area’s special status after it was outlined for removal.

The deletion of the area’s Urban Village status was part of the Central Lincolnshire Local Plan, currently under consultation.

Residents are now worried the move will lead to an influx of business activity in the area.

Policy zone status meant that businesses in the area were restricted to light industry and offices.

The removal of this, as outlined in new plan amendments, will put Long Leys Road in the same category as Outer Circle Road.

Over 140 people have so far signed the petition online. 

Over 140 people have so far signed the petition.

Local resident Chris Taylor said: “Over the past 19 years, since the City of Lincoln plan was adopted in 1998, hundreds of new homes have been built and families have been attracted by the promise of a village atmosphere surrounded by important areas of open space including Lincoln Edge, Burton Cliff, and West Common.

“Significantly, that ‘special policy zone’ status restricted business to light industry and offices, but now the new Central Lincolnshire Local Plan wants to downgrade the area by allowing more categories of industry that would put our family homes next door to the equivalent of Outer Circle Road, Allenby Industrial Estate, or Chieftain Way.”

People in the area recently battled a planning application by Veolia to increase activity on their waste site in the area. This was refused by the City of Lincoln Council.

The instigator of the petition Emile van der Zee argued people in the area were not effectively informed on consulted in the process of developing the plan.

The petition asks that:

• “Councillors and planning and development officers of both Lincoln City and Lincolnshire County Council look again at the special policy zone of Long Leys Urban Village as defined by the current 1998 City of Lincoln plan,
• and that this special status be confirmed and carried forward into the Lincolnshire Plan currently in development, specifically with regard to the limitation to B1 business use.”

The Central Lincolnshire Local Plan outlines growth in the local authority areas of Lincoln, North Kesteven and West Lindsey in the next 25 years and beyond.

It includes provision for the delivery of 37,000 homes, business facilities and infrastructure.

Plans have now been submitted and are under public consultation until March 6.