Health centre and homes may get green light, despite objections

PLANS FOR a new health centre and 166 homes on a former playing field in Hull could get the green light, despite two petitions and over 100 letters objecting.

Hull Trinity House Charity – which supports needy seafarers and their families – and health estates developer Citycare – are seeking outline planning permission for the site off Calvert Lane. Locals say the former Trinity House School sports field acts as a natural lagoon in heavy rain.

Sports England is objecting, as are 113 residents concerned about the loss of valuable greenspace and habitat for wildlife, as well as extra traffic on an already saturated road and increased air pollution. One petition has been submitted with 774 signatures and another with 265 signatures.

The medical centre, which will offer 2,725 appointments a week, is being built to replace “inadequate” facilities at Springhead surgery a mile away.

Developers say as well as providing space for a new retail pharmacy, it will be able to accommodate more GPs to meet a growing list size and be able to provide new services.

Ward councillor Haroldo Herrera-Richmond, who will be speaking at the planning meeting next Wednesday, said: “My main concern is the impact it is going to have on traffic levels on Calvert Lane. At the moment it is pretty busy all the time and it is one of the few link roads between north and south. We need the health centre in west Hull to take the pressure off the hospital, but it is a matter of how you get in and out of the site.

“I am not sure developers have fully exploited how to move traffic in and out. The traffic report says if we do nothing the road will be massively over capacity anyway, which is ludicrous.”

The new houses will be built 60cm above average road level. But neighbours living in areas like Arcon Drive, which was badly flooded in 2007, are worried about the impact of raising ground levels. A report to councillors, however, claims the risk of flooding is “low” due to a new flood alleviation scheme and other projects in the area.

Councillors are being recommended to approve the plans. The site was allocated for housing in the city’s recent planning blueprint.