Green light for homes at Horncastle Road

The plans will see the erection of four houses with integral double garages, and one house with an integral single garage, with two new access roads turning off from the busy Horncastle Road.

The land is currently owned by Louth Golf Club, which has said that funds raised from the land sale will be used for capital projects to ensure a steady income outside of golf, or to ensure a reduction in its expenditure.

The application, submitted by Mr J. Fairburn, was granted approval at East Lindsey District Council’s planning committee meeting last month, despite opposition from local ward councillor, Jill Makinson-Sanders.

During the meeting, Coun Makinson-Sanders said that Horncastle Road was ‘one of the most beautiful entrances to the town’, and said this ought to be safeguarded.

Having ‘called in’ the application to be heard by the planning committee, Coun Makinson-Sanders had previously aired concerns over highway safety in the area and said that, if the plans went ahead, it would risk creating a ‘death trap’ for motorists.

Coun Makinson-Sanders also raised concerns over the potential loss of biodiversity - such as the loss of trees, hedging and bushes - in the area, in addition to the loss of land which is presently used for sport with no 
replacement offered, which she said was contrary to the National Planning Policy Framework.

However, Louth Town Council had previously supported the application and there had only been one formal objection from a Horncastle Road resident.

Andrew Allison, from Ryland Design, spoke at the meeting on behalf of the applicant.

Mr Allison said his company had met with the Highways Department to ensure that the access roads complied with visibility and safety requirements. He added that the development would ‘integrate successfully into the established surroundings’.

The chairman of Louth Golf Club, Andrew Partridge, spoke before councillors to explain why the club was keen to sell the land, in order to enhance the overall golf course - which had been welcomed by members - and also to reduce complaints from neighbouring properties.

He added that land across the road from the proposed site had been granted permission for development.

Ultimately, the committee granted permission for the plans to go ahead.