A new housing development in Lincoln, known as the Western Growth Corridor, will be developed by the City Council and landowners Lindum Western Growth Community Ltd, but not until final approval has been given by the government who have been called in by Lincolnshire County Council, with primary concerns centring around transport and flooding.
Objectors to the major development, which would see 3,200 new houses and a regional sport and leisure complex built, were disappointed last night by an approval of 16 votes to 11 after a meeting at the Engine Shed at the University of Lincoln with deliberations lasting over five hours.
The 240-hectare development is one of Lincoln’s four Sustainable Urban Extensions (SUEs) which aims to provide housing and employment growth until 2036.
Councillor Colin Davie (Conservative) for Lincolnshire County Council said that the main objection to the development was the highway plans: “We believe there is a solution for the whole scheme to be delivered that includes the delivery of a piece of road and a new bridge over the railway line and we believe that that should be brought about at the beginning of this development, not after the first 300 houses have been built.
“The junctions around this area are already working at overcapacity and having over 300 homes without any real changes is just going to cause massive problems for highways users.”
Councillor Chris Burke (Labour) for the City of Lincoln Council, said: “We do need the 3,000 homes desperately, and that should be the first priority of any democratically elected representative. I am very pleased with the outcome. In Lincoln there is a growth of new families, and a lot of students stay in Lincoln instead of moving on, so we need to give them and other groups employment and housing.”
The council’s decision is now in the hands of Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, Michael Gove, and if successful, the county’s plans will be examined in further detail by his department before a final decision is given.
To read more about the scheme, click on this link: https://democratic.lincoln.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?MId=5346&x=1