Detailed plans for hundreds of homes on the edge of Grantham are recommended for approval when the planning committee of South Kesteven District Council meets tomorrow.

The development of 480 homes on land to the north of Longcliffe Road is from Larkfleet Homes.

It had faced much opposition from locals and in March 2017 the planning committee voted to refuse outline approval for the scheme, despite SKDC planning staff recommending its approval.

But in January 2018, following an appeal from Larkfleet, a planning inspector gave outline approval to the development.

Tomorrow, the planning committee are recommended by planning staff to approve the reserved matters of the scheme relating to the appearance, landscaping and scale for the 480 homes.

A report prepared by SKDC planning staff for the meeting says approving the scheme will centre on whether the proposal accords with the parameters set out in the outline permission and whether the development is of a sufficient quality of design.

The scheme on northern edge of the built up area of Grantham adjoins the modern and fairly low density Manthorpe estate to the south and the historic village of Manthorpe to the east.

To the west, the site is bounded by the main east coast railway line. The northern boundary is partly along Belton Lane. It then follows just south of the line of existing overhead power lines, then continues north eastwards along the Running Furrow as far as the A607.

The report says this application relates to the central and western parts of the site covered by the outline permission, including all of the proposed residential parcels and open spaces within them, together with the central square, orchard and allotments, the landscaped buffer strip and noise bund alongside the railway line and a small section of the main linear park.

The remainder of the site covered by the outline permission, including the planned school, neighbourhood centre, sports grounds and extensive landscaped open spaces would be subject to future reserved matters or full applications.

These elements are also controlled either through the Section 106 agreement attached to the outline permission or through planning conditions. For example, the local centre is required to be completed before the 300th dwelling is occupied.

The layout includes a tree lined central north-south spine road linking Longcliffe Road to Belton Lane, a secondary east-west road serving the eastern part of the development, and a separate access from Rosedale Avenue serving a small parcel of proposed residential development east of the Running Furrow.

A network of cycling/walking routes would be provided including an east-west and north-south cycleway and links to existing routes beyond the site. These latter elements are controlled through the Section 106 agreement.

A number of landscaped green spaces and children's play areas would be provided, including the "East Green" and "West Green", along with a community orchard, allotments, and informal open space along the western and south western boundaries incorporating woodland and a landscaped bund adjacent the railway.

Other key features include a landscaped central square forming the focal point of the development. But the school and neighbourhood centre which would front onto the square are not included in this application and would be subject to future full or reserved matters applications.

There would also be cycleways aligned along view corridors towards the spires of St Wulfram's Church, Grantham and St John's Church, Manthorpe.

The report also recalled how The Grantham Capacity and Limits to Growth Study 2015 was commissioned by SKDC to identify suitable areas for future development on the edges of Grantham and identified the site as suitable for development as long as nothing was built above the 65m contour line to minimise any impact on the setting of Belton House and Park and related heritage assets.

A scheme for 550 homes, neighbourhood centre and primary school and green areas was submitted to the council in 2015, but on SKDC officer advise was reduced to 480 homes, with all built below the 65m contour line.

A planning inspector finally approved the scheme in 2018, with the outline permission subject to a Section 106 agreement that ensures that the necessary infrastructure needed to make the development acceptable is provided.

This includes, a serviced site for a new school together with £3m contribution towards the cost of the new school, health contribution of £218,000, cycleway improvements contribution of £250,000, bus service contribution of £300,000, affordable housing on site and provision of extensive open space including parks, play areas, sports grounds, SuDS drainage, informal green space, allotments and a community orchard

The detailed masterplan and design code for the scheme was subsequently approved on 06 July 2018 and the current reserved matters application was submitted in August 2018.

Whilst it was generally in accordance with the masterplan and design code, the report noted it was felt that some aspects of the design required further refinement.

SKDC therefore commissioned a design review by OPUN (now known as Design Midlands). The OPUN review made a number of key recommendations which formed the basis for further discussions between officers and Larkfleet.

The proposal saw some changes and the current amended plans which were submitted in January 2021, with a public reconsultation then undertaken.

The council report says SKDC received 28 letters of representation.

The objections say there is no need for the homes, they would generate too much traffic, harm local wildlife, and there are not enough jobs and facilities in the area. There were also amenity concerns including pollution, dominance of outlook and overlooking, plus fears over drainage/flooding and the density being too high.

However, SKDC planning staff said most of these issues were settled at outline stage by the planning inspector, so the principle of the development is acceptable.

Their report said the application as originally submitted was broadly in line with the outline permission, and has since undergone a number of amendments "and is now considered acceptable."

"As a consequence of these amendments, the design and appearance of the proposal has greatly improved, which will be a benefit to future occupiers as well as the wider community."

The report continued: "The proposed dwellings are all 2- 2.5 storey in height and vary in size between 2, 3 and 4 bedrooms. They are arranged in detached, semi-detached and short terrace forms. Eaves heights and ridge heights vary which gives interest to the streetscene.

"The scale combined with layout would ensure no adverse impact on residential amenity. The scale of the buildings reflects the existing suburban form of development around the edges of the Grantham and is therefore appropriate for this context."

"Overall, the design of the proposals is of a high quality and would result in a development which is will well integrated with the existing built up area whilst creating a well-connected and landscaped place with its own character and identity.

Recommending approval, the report also concluded: "As demonstrated by the Appeal decision, there would be no adverse impact on the setting of heritage assets, ecology or highway safety. Neither would the detailed design result in adverse impacts on residential amenity."