Revised ‘boring’ homes approved
‘better deal’ Achieved for residents
AN East Riding councillor has said the approval of plans for 224 homes in Kirk Ella altered after talks with locals was the “best deal” for the area.
Willerby and Kirk Ella ward member Cllr Ben Weeks said developer Lovell Homes’ cutting of the number of homes from 240 to 224 was welcome.
The councillor added changes in homes’ design, keeping 14 of 33 trees set to be removed and expanding open space on site showed what could be achieved when developers speak to residents.
Cllr Weeks’s comments come as East Riding Council’s Planning Committee approved the revised plans after hearing Kirk Ella and West Ella Parish Council and others dropped their objections.
The homes had been previously labelled “boring and uninspiring” at a meeting.
Developers are now set for talks with the council to finalise details for affordable housing and open space requirements under their Section 106 agreement.
Lovell Homes’ earlier plans for the former Wolfreton School site, off South Ella Way, were deferred for talks with locals after members dismissed them as “uninspiring”.
The committee heard 26 objections were lodged against the revised plans, with some residents claiming concerns remained over the location of open space and the development’s layout.
But council officers said they were satisfied with the plans including for one access road into the estate, which its highways team ruled would not cause traffic issues.
Residents will access the estate from South Ella Way while an additional access for emergency services, walkers and cyclists will be built to the west of the site.
Cllr Weeks said after the meeting the decision showed developers “could learn” from communities.
The councillor said: “Residents have sent a strong message to developers that they can’t just barge their way into a community.
“I’m really pleased that I, as a ward councillor, and residents had the opportunity to shape the way these changes were made, this is the best deal for them.
“The earlier plans weren’t great, and in an ideal world we’d prefer to see no development on that site at all, or a different scheme all together.
“But we’ve contributed to this and that’s better than the alternative.
“I think this is a lesson to developers, whether they are big national companies or small local firms, that locals aren’t there to get in their way and that they can learn from talking to them.
“Lovell Homes showed they were prepared to move on their original proposals, I hope these kinds of talks will become the new normal.”
Paul Butler, an agent for the developer who worked on the consultation, told the committee the company “had listened” to residents.
Mr Butler said: “We wanted to speak to as many people as possible, we wrote to 325 residents and I personally spoke to 50 of them.
“I would like to thank all of those who took part in helping us to improve these plans.
“As a result we’re keeping 14 more trees and the open space would now cover 20,000sq m in the centre of the site. The designs of some of the homes were changed to reflect feedback from residents.”
Committee member Cllr John Whittle said talks with residents had produced plans which were “fairer” for everyone concerned.
He said: “The applicant has done a great deal of hard work on making these changes. I would have liked to see the designs talked about in a Design Panel meeting because some are still underwhelming. But this is still a fairer result for all.”