District councillors have pledged to do more to ensure housing schemes in South Kesteven are designed better with masterplans.

The move comes as members of the SKDC planning committee today 'reluctantly' approved plans for 49 homes in Barrowby at the 'reserved matters' stage, after planning officers said they could not defend a refusal at appeal.

As Nub News reported SKDC sought legal advice on the issue after the committee voted to refuse the application in July.

Members argued the development on a 2Ha site east of Low Road, Barrowby, would be contrary to their local plan, the scheme had no masterplan for the area and it was not in accordance with the outline plans.

The development included 22 shared ownership homes and 27 classed as "affordable" rent. But the plans submitted by Lincolnshire County Council had been given outline approval in May 2019.

A report prepared for the meeting concluded that the application from the Platform Housing Group could not be defended at appeal.

Coun Robert Reid, SKDC's cabinet member for housing and planning, told the meeting that Barrowby Parish Council sought a masterplan for the site but he had to reluctantly agree with the legal opinion that the committee had no grounds to oppose the development due to the lack of it having such a masterplan.

Barrowby residents have complained that the designs of the scheme submitted at the reserved matters stage was different to what was outlined earlier in the planning process.

Coun Reid continued: "The foresight of masterplans for the future will be at the forefront of my working plan."

He then paid tribute to the developers of two neighbouring schemes as they are including a masterplan as part of their schemes, which he said would ensure a better integration of social housing in them as part of a Section 106 agreement. He then pledge to produce a council position statement on masterplans.

Coun Penny Milnes then said she shared Coun Reid's disappointment in having to approve the scheme.

"Barrowby residents were consulted. They thought they were going to get something different to what they have now got. I'm very disappointed. The weaknesses in our system that's allowed this to happen and that we can't fight this."

Coun Robert Reid confirmed: "I really feel we have no choice. But we have a silver lining that we have a little silver lining. The two other developers are going to work together on a masterplan."

Committee chairman Bob Adams commented: "I share the disappointment of councillors. I will work to ensure the outcome is far better on the two remaining sites."