Controversial plans for a Lincolnshire Co-op convenience store in a village near Grantham will come before councillors next week.

Members of the Planning Committee of South Kesteven District Council are recommended to approve the Co-op food store on land east of Low Road, Barrowby.

The application from Lincolnshire Co-op is due before Thursday's committee meeting as SKDC considers the proposal to be 'in the public interest.'

The key issues for the scheme are the principle of development, impact on the character of the area and impact on highway safety.

As previously reported by Nub News, the 0.42ha site is on the south of Barrowby village and fronts on to Low

Road to the west. A report by SKDC planning staff says the site is surrounded by committed residential development currently under construction. The Co-op seeks full planning permission for a small food store with 280m2 of sales area, 97sqm of 'back of house' area, a service yard, car parking for 21 cars (including two disabled spaces) and associated landscaping, including planting beds, climbing plants, shrubs, trees and hedgerow. In addition to the proposed planting, a communal garden is proposed between the car park and store entrance to include a bench seat, bird table and sleeper raised beds planted up with herbs. The report by SKDC planning staff says the application should be should be rejected because of the lack of an agreed Master Plan for the area and a lack of adequate landscaping to mitigate the visual impact of the store on

its surroundings.

The scheme would also harm the bio-diversity of the area, plus the rural setting, and it would create traffic and parking problems.

Barrowby Neighbourhood Plan Group gave similar objections, adding the scheme was much larger than nearby houses.

Council public consultation led to letters of representation from 55 households , most of whom objected.

Opponents had concerns over highway safety and parking, felt the scheme was out of keeping, the shop was not needed and might harm others in the village, while supporters said there was a need for a Co-op.

Council planning staff assessed the issues and said there was some conflict with SKDC site allocation policy as it was a retail scheme on land allocated for housing.

But they felt it would nor harm the delivery of the nearby site. On balance, it also met other council policies, including those of the Local Plan, and "as such the proposal is therefore acceptable."