A HUGE development to build 400 new homes off Humberston Avenue is to begin with a first phase of 16 houses.
Keystone Developments, which saw its proposal to build a retirement village and other homes on greenfield land twice refused by North East Lincolnshire Council's Planning Committee but passed by the Secretary of State, sent a leaflet to nearby residents yesterday to update them on the work.
It highlighted that the development is "moving forward" and a map of the site, which includes phases one and two of the build, has an area set out as "further phases to be decided".
The planning documents confirm that this land is included in the 400-home application that is yet to receive full planning permission, having only outline permission.
Work will begin with the construction of 16 houses at the front of the site.
The developer declined to comment as to whether the firm could be looking at building further homes, but said a pre-application meeting is due to take place with NELC in the coming weeks.
The outline planning application was refused on the grounds that the development was unsustainable, would cause "severe" traffic congestion, and would result in the loss of green space when land in more "sustainable" locations was available for development, but it was overturned by the Government.
However, planning inspector Richard Watson concluded that although the development would cause "limited harm", that "would not significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits of the scheme".
The development, opposite Humberston Academy, is to begin with the construction of 16 houses at the front of the site, pending a successful "Reserved Matters" application, before the second phase goes forward for approval later this year.
The rest of the phases will be set out with NELC before construction goes ahead.
Humberston Avenue resident Nikki Hale, who led a campaign against the 400 homes, said the proposals were "unsustainable".
"There is this development and two others, adding up to almost 1,000 houses, all feeding into Humberston Avenue and it is ridiculous," she said.
"I cannot stress enough that this area cannot support all of these houses, it just does not have the infrastructure.
"We got to the stage where the development had been rejected but then rubber stamped by the Government. We had no further course of redress."
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