Decision looms on controversial plans for 79-home development in Over Wyre village

Planners at Wyre will meet this week to make a decision on on a controversial application to build 79 new affordable homes in the Over Wyre village of Stalmine.

The proposals are proving to be among the most contentious in the area for years, with letters of support lodged with Wyre Council but almost four times as many objections submitted too.

Wyre’s planning committee will consider the proposals on Wednesday, with the planning officer recommending that the application be approved.

The proposals first went before the committee on July 1, but because a site visit could not proceed, Steve Smith, the Assistant Director of Planning and Building Control at Wyre Council, did not feel the application could be given due consideration.

The matter was adjourned to fix another date along with a site visit, to enable councillors to see the proposed land for themselves, and now it is set for a full hearing this week.

The application goes before the committee because of a request by Hambleton and Stalmine ward member, Cllr Julie Robinson, due to concerns raised by residents in respect of visual impact, unsuitable location, access and impact on the A588 and over development of the site.

The application is being opposed by Stalmine-with-Staynall Parish Council and 84 letters of objection have also been received.

Objectors have raised concerns about highway safety, particularly in relation to busy Stricklands Lane, as well as flooding concerns, lack of public transport and lack of infrastructure in the village to accommodate such a large number of new occupants.

Conversely, there have been 21 letters of support for the project, highlighting the need for new affordable homes, the support for existing businesses and an overall benefit to the village.

Whilst there are no objections from other statutory bodes, Natural England advises that an environmental assessment provided for the application (on impact to natural bird habitats) does not currently provide enough information to justify the assessment conclusion and that Wyre Council should not grant planning permission at this stage.

The application site comprises a parcel of greenfield land measuring 2.3ha, that fronts Stricklands Lane on the immediate southern edge of the village.The new housing would be a mix of 10 house types with 1–4-bedrooms, including apartments, bungalows, semi-detached and mews homes.

The homes would be made available for affordable rent, rent to buy and shared ownership schemes.

The site currently consists of a number of small fields separated by wire fencing, which are currently in grazing use.

The land also contains a small area in use as an equestrian riding area, with a building used for stabling and equestrian storage on its northeastern boundary.

The development site can currently be accessed via two separate access points, one located by the field gate located on Stricklands Lane, and the other at the end of Meadow View Court.

The applicant, Maybern Planning and Development, submitted the plans on behalf of Westchurch Homes in late December. Westchurch is a housing development company which specialises in the building of affordable and adaptable homes throughout the North-West.

To mitigate against the impact of the proposals on local amenities, the developers have consented to an S106 Agreement contribution of £63,828 towards the extension of Over Wyre Medical Centre; additionally, education authority Lancashire County Council is seeking a contribution for 21 primary and 10 secondary school places.

Cllr Lynn Bowen, ward councillor for Hambleton and Stalmine, said: “Stricklands Lane is a busy, dangerous road which has some very sharp bends and although there are speed cameras, people still drive quickly.

“There have been a number of serious accidents in the past and I believe if this planning application is granted permission, it will only make things worse.

“If there are two people per house, most of them would have a car each. Potentially, that would mean an extra 150-odd cars on the road.

“Children need to cross that road to get to and from school and it’s a real worry, especially because the footpaths are not adequate.”

However, resident Stephen Howard said: “As one of the landowners and a long-term local resident, I feel it is important to provide some context about the land itself and the drainage issues that have been mentioned locally.

“The field has not traditionally been prone to flooding. The small amount of groundwater that has been seen in recent years appears to be the result of a dyke which was previously filled.

“Since the dyke was infilled, there has been nowhere for the water to naturally drain.

“The issue is relatively straightforward to address. Reconnecting the dyke back into the main dyke that runs to Wardleys Creek would restore the natural drainage route. There are valid points as to why this development should go ahead.”

In a report to the committee, the planning officer states: “ The proposed development would help to meet an identified local affordable housing need with the site being sustainably located immediately adjacent to the settlement boundary in close proximity to an array of services and facilities.

“The proposed development would provide some economic benefits during construction and in supporting local services.

“The benefits of the proposal are seen to outweigh the loss of this greenfield site, given no significant visual impact concerns are identified.

“The full impacts of the development have been considered and assessed including the impacts upon the highway network, character and appearance of the surrounding countryside and landscape, trees and ecology along with flood risk and drainage impacts.

“It is considered that in this instance there are no significant planning issues which cannot be addressed/mitigated by reason of appropriately worded planning conditions.

“Subject to conditions and a section 106 agreement the application is recommended for approval.”