Green light for 20 homes in New Waltham

TWENTY new homes will be built on a greenfield site in New Waltham.

The Cyden Homes development on land off Peterson Drive was approved in principle by North East Lincolnshire's planning committee yesterday.

However, formal permission will not be granted until planning officers are satisfied that outstanding issues over drainage have been resolved.

The Environment Agency had objected to the proposal on the grounds that the developer had provided insufficient information to show that the development will not increase the risk of flooding.

However, planning officers told the committee they were confident a solution would be reached soon.

The new development, to be known as The Grange In The Woods, will be located next to the existing Renaissance development originally designed by Chartdale Homes, the forerunner of Cyden Homes.

It will comprise a mixture of two, three, four and five bedroom homes set around two cul-de-sacs and an area of landscaped open space.

Planning officer Jonathan Cadd said the new open space would replace the land currently used as "informal open space" which will be lost to the new development.

Cyden Homes has agreed to make a £56,000 education contribution to pay for additional school places. It will also provide four "affordable" homes to a registered social landlord, albeit not from this development, but from an existing development on Scartho Top.

Mr Cadd said this arrangement would allow two and three bedroom homes, much in demand because of the impact of the bedroom tax, to be provided "straight away."

Councillor Iain Colquhoun (Con, Waltham) said the scheme looked "quite attractive" but asked for the item to be deferred until the drainage issue was resolved.

However, the committee voted 6-2 (with two abstentions) to delegate the drainage issue to officers.

Simon Dyson, managing director of Laceby-based Cyden Homes, said that, subject to formal approval, work would start in the summer.

He added: "While we're aware that there have been several contentious applications in the area recently this land is a logical extension to an existing development and will secure much-needed employment in the area.

"The high quality design, specification and finish of our homes will absolutely suit this location and as a company, we pride ourselves on working with local sub-contractors and local suppliers wherever we can."