September 2, 2020 2.17 pm This story is over 43 months old

Large housing development approved in Bourne

The eighth expansion of Elsea Park
An indicative example of how the housing could look.

Councillors have approved plans for 384 homes in Bourne.

South Kesteven District Council’s planning committee gave the go ahead to the application for Elsea Park’s Zone 8 submitted jointly by Ped Cooke, Aga Cook, Judith Turner, W North Barratt and David Wilson Homes on Wednesday.

The 17-hectare site is within the north-west part of the Elsea Park development and will sit to the east of other developments including a 3G sports pitch and play area.

It will include mostly two-storey homes but some will be taller and will range from one to five bedrooms.

An indicative layout of Zone 8 of the Elsea Park Development.

The scheme will include 40 homes classed as affordable scattered around the site.

It is planned to be built in a series of phases over six to eight years.

The proposals include a number of pedestrian and cycle routes connecting the area to the wider surroundings.

A report before councillors said the site was “an important piece of the overall Elsea Park masterplan and connects the wider development”.

Homes Manager for Barratt Homes Charlotte Henson told members the design was “positive and proactively designed”. She said the “major development” would “deliver much-needed homes for South Kesteven”.

How each zone fits into the masterplan.

Representations to the council from residents called for a railway bridge to be preserved, and raised concerns including contaminated land associated with a previous horse abattoir and landfill across the site.

Planning officers reassured residents the site had been extensively surveyed by the applicant.

Councillors approved the plans with ward member councilllor Robert Reid saying he was “fully satisfied” by the officers’ work.

However, there was also disappointment at the amount of affordable housing. Councillors believed there should be more, but were bound by the original decision for the development in 2001.

Other concerns included the safety of nearby ponds, and a lack of environmental protections.

The near two-decade old Elsea Park development includes a number of existing services and amenities including a primary school, convenience store, community centre and various open spaces and equipped play areas.

Since 2001, about 1,500 homes have been built on the site.