The Grantham Labour Party has attacked plans to build thousands of homes on land surrounding the Prince William of Gloucester Barracks.

The party has also urged people to sign a petition by the Woodland Trust to help protect thousands of trees on the site.

Their comments come just days before the closure of comments are accepted concerning the controversial scheme, as previously reported by Nub News.

The Labour Party posted on social media yesterday: "Labour believes in affordable housing for people and families; it is our belief that the proposed site for over 3000 houses on the area surrounding the Prince William of Gloucester Barracks will not solve the housing crisis facing the people of Grantham.

"The proposals will only exacerbate the existing housing crisis meaning people awaiting homes will face the same difficult choice of renting for longer at a higher price in the private sector, borrowing more to purchase their home or even remaining homeless."

The statement continued: "We cannot keep paving over our countryside and destroying our environment when we have long vacant commercial property in our town centres that is ripe for rerolling into social housing.

"This would prevent the decline of our High Street by creating a marketplace on the doorstep for independent Businesses, which they will soon need with the planned shopping complex on the A1/A52 junction, further reducing town centre footfall."

The party also said: "There have been suggestions that the development may bring about a new Hospital for Grantham on the site. This is a dangerous rumour.

"There are no plans for this. Lincolnshire (ULHT) cannot staff Grantham A&E full time as it is and there are currently national plans by the Conservatives to reduce our Hospital network further into more condensed key sites across the UK.

"We must stay focused and ensure we keep NHS services IN Grantham and not be tempted by this red herring."

Their statement added: "Grantham Labour does not support to plans in their current form.

"We propose the District Council opposes any intentions for development outside of the current Barracks Perimeter -ensuring so far as possible only the current structures are redeveloped and avoiding the felling of the Woodland Trust plantation therefore protecting a cherished part of Grantham's landscape.

"Instead, we suggest we look to the centre of Grantham and bring prosperity back to our High Street by redeveloping long vacant commercial property into high quality affordable social housing with high-speed broadband connections to facilitate a work-from-home future."

The full statement can be read here.