AN appeal against the decision to reject a controversial 400-home development in Humberston will be heard at a public inquiry starting tomorrow .
The four-day inquiry, which takes place at Grimsby Town Hall, will consider the arguments for and against the proposal to build 400 new homes, including a retirement village, on land off Humberston Avenue.
The application was met with widespread opposition from residents and councillors, and was twice rejected by North East Lincolnshire's Planning Committee.
After the second refusal in April this year, developer Keystone Developments, part of Longhurst group, lodged an appeal to the Planning Inspectorate.
Following this week's hearing, an inspector will make a recommendation to Communities Secretary Eric Pickles, who will make the final decision. The council's head of development Jason Longhurst said: "The planning application, for up to 400 new homes, including retired persons homes, was refused by the council last November and a further application, for the same development, was again rejected in April this year.
"The applicant, Keystone Developments, has now submitted an appeal and a government-appointed inspector will consider the cases for and against the development before he makes a recommendation to the Secretary of State.
"North East Lincolnshire Council rejected the application on the grounds that it would have a harmful effect on the local road network, that the site is currently agricultural land outside of the existing built-up area and that the development would be unsustainable given the site's distance away from shops and other facilities.
"The application was also rejected because the council considered that the site should not be built on ahead of building taking place on previously developed land elsewhere in the borough."
Keystone Developments first announced its plan to build 400 homes on the 18-hectare site opposite Humberston Country Club and Humberston Academy back in June 2011.
A planning application for the development, which comprises of a retirement village of about 200 bungalows, 100 family and 100 affordable homes, was submitted in February the following year.
A number of alterations were made to the scheme in response to concerns raised during a public consultation, including moving some of the retirement homes closer to the road, and ensuring that green space and bungalows are sited closer to existing homes in Lime Grove and Glebe Road.
However, the changes failed to satisfy members of the campaign group Save Our Fields, who remained steadfast in their opposition to their plans.
And despite being recommended for approval by planning officers, who said the scheme would significantly contribute to the authority's identified housing need, the application was twice rejected by the planning committee.
See your Grimsby Telegraph for coverage of the hearing.
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