The Larkfleet commercial development site off Peterborough Road, Market Deeping (shown with red outline)

At this week’s meeting of the Town Council’s Planning & Highways Committee, the centrepiece issue was the planning application by Larkfleet for a commercial development between Peterborough Road and the existing Spitfire Park business park. The meeting had been advertised as an opportunity for members of the public to express their views on the proposals and it was good to have more than a dozen people attending.

Most people, whilst raising particular concerns they would like to see addressed, were pragmatic about the application. The site is allocated in the local plan for residential/employment uses and so it would be very difficult for the District Council to refuse the application, making it more productive to focus on identifying potential improvements. Those objecting to the principle of commercial development on the site were very much in the minority.

The Town Council has previously expressed their opposition to the application, with a desire that the employment area is elsewhere on the site bounded by Peterborough Road and Lancaster Way. However, the councillors opposed have never given a clear indication of where this should be, and weren’t able to do when asked at the meeting. It would seem to me that the current proposed site is most suitable. It is adjacent to the existing Spitfire Park industrial area and only has housing on the southern edge of the site.

To locate the commercial area east of Spitfire Park would inevitably mean a much greater number of residential properties being immediately adjacent to commercial development, both the new proposed site and the existing Spitfire Park.

I was accused by one councillor of being naive when I expressed concerns about some of the comments they have made regarding the timing of the application. It has been suggested that the application, and subsequent amendments, were submitted shortly before Christmas last year and then whilst the Town Council was not meeting due to the countermanded election to avoid scrutiny.

I think this assumption of bad faith on the part of the developer does not help to set the right tone with which the Town Council can engage with the developer to call for improvements to their proposals and does lack any real merit. That an application is submitted just before Christmas does not effect the Town Council’s ability to scrutinise and comment on the application.The amended documents submitted whilst the Town Council was not meeting were also only for a very minor change which is actually an improvement so again I do not believe it is helpful to suggest some underhand tactic to avoid scrutiny by the Town Council.

I very much believe that the Town Council can have most influence on planning decisions by the District Council by not just simply opposing but by carefully analysing proposals to determine how, should they go ahead despite the Town Council’s opposition, we can make constructive suggestions that would improve the scheme. Even where the Council opposes an application, our input to the process should go beyond simply stating our opposition and include suggestions as to how it can be made more appropriate for our area.

This is an outline application, meaning many of the details will need to be the subject of further planning applications. Assuming this is approved, I will then look very closely at the further applications to ensure the more detailed plans do address the concerns that have been raised. The application will be considered by the South Kesteven District Council Development Control Committee next Tuesday, 18 August. The Council’s planning officers are recommending approval.

Although this is part of larger plan by Larkfleet to develop the entire site between Peterborough Road and Lancaster Way, the residential aspects are not part of this planning application and we do not currently know when the application for the housing development will be made. It is apparent from listening to residents that it is the housing development that is a greater issue for many, with concerns about whether the town can accommodate the additional houses.

Other topics discussed at the committee meeting included the production of a neighbourhood plan. This could give the people of the town a greater say on planning decisions. Previous attempts have been made to being developing a neighbourhood plan but these were not successful. It is clear that creating a plan would be a difficult and lengthy process. I have suggested we look at the experience of other areas in South Kesteven where neighbourhood plans have been recently agreed to see what we may be able to learn and to keep this under review.

The Council is still working to provide a movable interactive speed sign, with work to identify appropriate locations ongoing. Following the previous cancellation, the Council are to organise a Walking the Footpaths event on Tuesday, 8 September, starting from the Town Hall at 6.30pm.

The committee agreed to reschedule the monthly Planning & Highways meeting to avoid clashing with full council meetings. Future meetings will be held on the first Tuesday of each month, beginning with the September meeting on the 1st at 7pm.

August Planning & Highways Committee Agenda