Stefan Pidluznyj, Local Democracy Reporter

Councillors will return to plans for 1,100 houses and 150 retirement homes in Witham St Hughs after high level discussions were held with the NHS about how it would use the developer’s proposed health contributions.

North Kesteven District Council’s Planning Committee deferred making a decision on the development in February 2018 after councillors raised concerns about the NHS planning to spend the applicant’s money on health services in North Hykeham rather than in the village.

The Strawson Holdings Ltd development on land east of Camp Road and north of Hannah Crescent was unanimously approved back in 2016.

Since the initial approval, discussions have been held over the financial contributions the developers should make to the scheme.

In meetings held following the deferral in February 2018, Lincolnshire West CCG has released its strategy for Witham St Hughs, in which it claims a small GP surgery in the village would be unviable and unattractive to any potential provider.

The strategy reveals that the NHS would use the applicant’s money to create a community care hub at the Richmond Medical Centre in North Hykeham.

A smaller proportion of the money would be used to reconfigure Bassingham Surgery to provide additional clinical consultation rooms, and also for the CCG to develop proactive community services with partners.

Despite councillors’ vocal concerns, they have been given a recommendation to approve the development with no healthcare facility in Witham St Hughs.

In a report to councillors, Principal Planning Officer Phil Eley said: “It is acknowledged that the strategy will not meet the aspirations expressed by members in support of the parish council and the local community for a purpose-built healthcare facility within the village.

“However, whilst officers would continue to acknowledge that the lack of an ‘on-site’ health facility within the village as envisaged in the original concept for the new settlement is regrettable, and that concerns raised in relation to the accessibility of the existing surgeries at Bassingham and North Hykeham are valid and does weigh against the overall sustainability merits of the settlement, the strategy of the CCG is clear in its reasoning why a new health facility in the village could not be sustained.”

A full list of recommendations for the development is below:

• Minimum 16.7% on-site affordable housing
• A Community Infrastructure Levy of approximately £2,067,953
• Transfer of land to Lincolnshire County Council for extension to Witham St Hughs Academy
• £2,480,817 towards the provision of 250 primary school places at the academy
• Transfer of land to the Witham St Hughs Parish Council to be used as public playing fields in lieu of the land required for the extension of the academy
• £570,000 for sustaining existing bus services serving Witham St Hughs
• £531,250 for additional healthcare services through the expansion of the Richmond Medical Practice in North Hykeham or alternative schemes
• Minimum of £450,000 for provision, implementation and maintenance of on-site recreational public open space and recreation provision
• £360,000 per hectare for off-site recreation and community facilities
• Minimum of £600,000 for additional or enhanced community facilities within Witham St Hughs, which could include the construction of an enhanced community centre/village hall
• Promotion of the extra care/retirement element of the development
• “Reasonable endeavours” to use local people, local businesses and to source materials locally in the construction and operation of the development

A Lincoln primary school is in line for expansion as Lincolnshire County Council considers measures to provide sufficient school places in the city.

Monks Abbey Primary School would take in an additional 15 pupils each year from September 2019 under the proposals, with numbers rising from 60 to 75.

This would see capacity at the school on Monks Road increase from 420 to 525 pupils.

The increased intake would be phased in over a seven year period, applying only to the reception group each year.

If the plans are approved, building work is expected to begin later this year.

One new classroom, staff room, toilets, stores and cloak rooms would be built as part of the expansion, and this would require planning permission.

New classrooms would also be added by rearranging the current layout of the school.

Lincolnshire County Council has a statutory duty to provide school places for all children in the county within a reasonable distance of their home.

Monks Abbey has been oversubscribed for the past three years and the council is concerned that this area of Lincoln will experience a shortage of available places if capacity at one or more of the local schools is not increased, or additional capacity added through alternative means.

The council has considered increasing capacity at other local schools instead of expanding Monks Abbey.

It has even looked at building a completely new school to serve the surrounding area.

However, the expansion of Monks Abbey is considered by the council to be the best available solution to reduce the pressure on school spaces in the city.

A five week consultation was held towards the end of 2017, with no respondents opposed to the proposed extension.

Matt Clayton, Admissions and Education Planning Manager at Lincolnshire County Council, said in a report to councillors: “The local authority considers the proposals to be the most appropriate available solution to the expected shortage of primary school places in this area of Lincoln.

“This proposal has the full support of the governing body. With the excellent leadership the school has in place the local authority is confident that the school can drive forward a successful expansion which will provide the opportunity to improve the learning experience and outcomes for the children to enable them to reach their full potential.

“The local authority believes it to be the most appropriate option for expansion in the area.”

Members of the Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee will consider the proposals at a meeting in Lincoln on Friday, April 20, with their comments to be passed over to Councillor Patricia Bradwell, Executive Councillor for Children’s Services.