A YEAR has gone by since Humberston said no to 400 homes in the village – and now they have said it again.
Humberston Village Parish Council (HVPC) voted unanimously not to approve Keystone Developments' second application to build homes on greenfield land off Humberston Avenue, as reported on www.thisisgrimsby.co.uk
It was a year and ten days since they made the same decision on March 8, last year, but the first application was finally rejected by North East Lincolnshire Council in November – after huge public outcry.
However, a revised plan – which has been criticised for being no different from the original – was submitted earlier this month and campaigners have vowed to fight it just as hard, as have local politicians.
Harry Hall, chairman of HVPC, said: "We remain unchanged and absolutely oppose this development.
"Nothing they can do will convince us to support these 400 new homes on this land."
North East Lincolnshire ward councillor John Fenty (Con, Humberston and New Waltham) also attended the meeting and promised to "stand firm" against the development after the decision was announced.
"There are plenty of places to build and this is absolutely the wrong place for this kind of development," he said.
At the meeting at Wendover Hall on Monday, Save Our Fields Campaigner Nikki Hale was allowed to speak on behalf of residents before the parish council made its decision.
She offered the same reasons the group successfully used to campaign against the last application:
There is no need to sacrifice greenfield land for housing that is not needed – we already have three unfinished, major developments in the area.
Roads cannot support additional traffic – there have been numerous accidents on congested highways (Tollbar, Hewitt's Circus and Lovelane Corner) and one fatality in recent months.
Drainage is inadequate – flooding has been so bad in winter months that wildlife has been swimming in it.
A pond in the new plans could be dangerous to nearby schoolchildren and a dyke could attract fly tipping and litter.
Historical and environmental significance – hedges date back to the 18th century and barn owls, deer, waders and many other species use the area.
Public transport is insufficient and has been reduced in recent months.
Local schools are already at capacity.
Amenities are insufficient.
It seemed the group and the parish council were singing from the same hymn sheet as Mr Hall called for a vote immediately after the speech.
"I recommend we refuse this development on the grounds of over-intensification, road capacity, drainage and danger to children," she said – and other councillors supported the motion.
However, NELC is not bound by the decision and will make its own when the proposal goes in front of the planning committee at a date which has not yet been confirmed.
See tomorrow's Grimsby Telegraph for the latest news on the other plan for homes on Humberston Avenue.
