‘Stalemate’ though park plan passed

Plans to open Moulton Park to the public are at a ‘stalemate’, its proposed owner says, despite receiving planning permission last week.

The John and Maureen Biggadike Foundation is looking to buy the land from South Holland District Council to make it a public park.
But the charity’s chair Richard Lewis said it doesn’t know whether to go through with it due to the addition of a condition imposed on the granting of the change of use permission for the 20 acre site.
After Lincolnshire County Council’s Highways team raised objections over the number of car movements, the condition was put in place that the landowners have to provide three updates on the levels of traffic over the next 10 years.
Mr Lewis says he’s concerned that the county council could demand the charity provide the money for developments such as a new footpath he believes would cost around £100,000.
“It would be charity money that would have to be spent,” he claimed. “We’re not allowed to fund the public purse.”
At the meeting of the district council’s Planning Committee last week, Mr Lewis branded the condition a ‘bureaucratic nonsense’ and said the condition couldn’t open if passed.
“Moulton Park was purchased by the district council eight years ago as a public open space,” he told councillors. “It’s a travesty it has not been open since.
“The foundation is proposing to purchase it; so it can be open to the public.”
All of the ward councillors for Moulton spoke in favour of the application.
“After several false starts here we are with an opportunity to give Moulton residents and those further afield, the chance to give recreation, something not enjoyed in the village for the best part of half a century.
“I think Highways have made a complete pigs’ ear of this and put a stranglehold of it.
“Condition 13 is outrageous unnecessary and not needed.
“Twenty car parking spaces is more than adequate. If it was to gain more footfall then fair enough there will be an application asking for more space and I don’t think that would be a problem.
“In years gone by Moulton Show has had far more traffic in one day than Highways want requirements for.
“We’re not creating Alton Towers, it’s simply a park.”
Coun Anthony Casson added: “I’ve been involved since we bought it in 2016.
“We have tried a few different things to get it open and every time we’ve come under problems.
“This is the time to snap the hand off of someone who is willing to take it on board.”
But councillors voted through the application as recommended by planners and with the conditions.
Coun Paul Redgate said: “We have a dig at Highways about not making comments, but this time they have.
“It seems onerous but we have to recognise there will be reviews of this.
“If all of a sudden Moulton gets 50 cars going there what’s going to happen to that road.
“We can’t forget there’s people who may or may not be able to get off their drives if it’s busy.”