Proposed Allocations
LCC as Highways Authority and Lead Local Flood Authority, commented in the preparation of the South Kesteven Site Assessment Report (February 2024). Officers have made a technical assessment of each of the sites based on the information available to date. Any sites classed as minor, moderate or major impact on roads, highways and/or surface water will require mitigation as specified in LCC’s earlier comments. For example: LCC has seen no plans for mitigation for two sites in Great Gonerby or for the Prince William of Gloucester Barracks site and therefore objects to these. Our comments must continue to be taken forward in future drafts of the Local Plan. Unless appropriate and sufficient mitigation is in place, LCC will object to the planning applications.Learning the lessons from Storms Henk and Babet, surface water management is of paramount importance. Water management needs to be appropriately considered on all allocated sites before they come forward as an application. Unless appropriate and sufficient mitigation is in place, LCC will object to the planning applications.
Members have made specific comments on some of the site allocations based on their local knowledge. All of these comments have been copied in the appendix to this response and should be taken into consideration as part of the consultaon responses received.
LCC Response – SK Local Plan Response Apr 25th.pdf
As a local councillor deeply invested in Grantham’s welfare and future, I approach the South Kesteven District Council’s Regulation 18 Draft Local Plan with scepticism and concern. The plan proposes significant housing developments and changes that could fundamentally alter our community’s landscape. Below, I share my perspective on Lincolnshire County Council’s (LCC) response to the draft plan, reflecting my reservations and hopes for our town.
LCC’s General Support With Critical Caveats
LCC has tentatively supported the draft plan’s overarching goals of spurring sustainable growth in South Kesteven. This broad endorsement, however, comes with stringent conditions regarding the need for proper impact mitigation, a sentiment I strongly echo. We cannot proceed with development without fully understanding and planning for its repercussions on our community’s infrastructure and environmental health.
Specific Concerns Over Infrastructure and Development Sites
The council’s response highlighted inadequate mitigation plans for the proposed sites, including significant developments in Great Gonerby and the Prince William of Gloucester Barracks. As these areas are close to the heart of Grantham, I share the council’s concerns regarding the potential impacts on local traffic, road safety, and our already strained water management systems. I am sure I won’t be alone supporting LCC’s objection to the Great Gonerby and Barracks developments. The lessons from past weather adversities like Storms Henk and Babet remind us of the crucial need for robust flood risk planning. Ignoring these could lead to disastrous outcomes for residents and properties alike.
Minerals, Waste Planning, and Agricultural Needs
The LCC is revising its minerals and waste plan, extending its vision to 2040. This forward-thinking approach underscores a crucial aspect often overlooked in broad-stroke housing plans—sustainable resource management. Grantham needs a balanced approach that considers the immediate benefits of development and long-term sustainability, including waste management and mineral resource impacts.
Moreover, the draft plan must include policies supporting agricultural housing, which is alarming. Our rural areas and the people who work in them need more than acknowledgement—they require actionable support that respects their unique needs and contributions to our local economy.
Emphasising Biodiversity and Design Quality
I commend the draft plan’s focus on biodiversity and design quality, which LCC supports. However, endorsing these policies on paper and implementing them effectively across development projects are two challenges. We must ensure these policies are not merely aspirational but actively enforced and monitored.
The Road Ahead: Infrastructure for Growth
One of LCC’s sternest critiques—and rightly so—addresses the plan’s approach to infrastructure. The current policy framework, according to LCC, inadequately prepares for the viability assessments required at the decision-making stage, potentially leaving too much room for developers to bypass essential infrastructural enhancements due to cost or feasibility concerns. This could result in development that benefits the few at the expense of the many, undermining community welfare and coherence.
In Conclusion
As we stand at this pivotal juncture, our choices will resonate through generations. While growth is necessary, it must not come at the cost of our community’s health, heritage, and happiness. We need a plan that is not just good on paper but good for Grantham. As your councillor, I pledge to scrutinise these developments closely, ensuring that every voice is heard and every impact carefully weighed. Our town deserves no less.
Stay engaged, Grantham: your town, your voice, your future.
Click here to read the full response
To find out more about the plan and the consultation read here:
Recent Comments