A DECISION on whether to grant planning permission for seven new homes at Mushroom Farm in Brigsley has been delayed because of concerns over flooding.
North East Lincolnshire's planning committee was due to determine the application at its meeting yesterday.
However, the decision was deferred to allow members of the panel to conduct a site visit and to seek clarification from Anglian Water about the impact the proposed development will have on the area's drainage.
It came following an ill-tempered meeting which started with committee chairman Councillor Alex Wallace, pictured, getting involved in a stand-off with residents over how many of them would be allowed to address the panel.
Councillor Wallace later suspended the meeting when residents opposed to the development kept interrupting Ross Davy, the agent speaking on behalf of the applicant Paul Mason.
As reported, planning officer Ian Trowsdale had recommended that the development be approved, saying it would help meet local housing need, was in a sustainable location and would enhance the character of the area.
However, he told the committee that the council had not received a clear response from Anglian Water as to whether the development would increase drainage problems in the area.
He said: "We have had an e-mail to say that provided surface water isn't part of the system, they don't see any difficulties. We have not had that formally in writing from Anglian Water."
Resident Darren Winfield told the meeting that the design and layout of the proposed development "bore no relationship" to its surroundings and that "not one person in the immediate area" wanted it to happen.
He also accused planning officers of being in a "rush to play the numbers game" in order to meet house-building targets.
Mr Davy told the committee that planning policy had changed since 2003, when a previous application to develop the site was rejected.
But when he said that no drainage problems had been reported to Anglian Water he was angrily accused of telling "lies" by residents, one of whom claimed his property had been flooded 22 times since 2007.
After several interruptions from the public gallery, Councillor Wallace declared: "This meeting is suspended for 15 minutes.
"You can do what you like. I'm going to go for a fag."
