The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
A decision on whether to build six affordable homes outside Long Sutton on the A17 have been deferred.
The development had been recommend for refusal by planning officers but several councillors at South Holland District Council’s Planning Committee meeting last week argued it should be accepted.
In planning terms the development site is classed as “open countryside” but properties are located nearby and the site was a dwelling up to the 1975 according to Stafford Procter who spoke in support of the application on behalf of applicant, Proctor Bros Ltd.
Coun Chris Brewis said: “We do have difficulty finding sites (in Long Sutton) and quite a number of us have got our eyes open for sites for affordable homes.
“This one is 100 per cent affordable and will go a small way to filling a substantial need for those homes in that end of the district.”
However the committee’s chairman Coun Roger Gambba-Jones, said: “The committee needs to be clear in its own mind that they are not putting all of their belief in this site is acceptable in the fact it’s affordable housing.
“We as a committee have been led down a certain path by previous applicants in supporting applications which have changed character at a later date.
“I’ve seen no evidence there’s an affordable housing provider willing to come on board and provide the financing.
“If you give planning permission in outline form for this, for development in principle, whether it be affordable or open market It opens the door for somebody to come back and say if its alright for affordable, why is it not alright for open market?”
He continued: “I do not want us to be caught out as we have done in the past.
“We’ve shown good faith and found out further down the line somebody has found a way around that policy and decided they want to deliver something different and have little power to do anything about that.”
Councillors voted to defer a decision.
