Yahoo News Hundreds object to 'oversized' Lancaster village homes plan near quarry
Close to 200 residents in a village near Lancaster and Morecambe Bay have signed a petition against plans for 51 homes on land near to a quarry - with another 100 objection letters sent in protest.
Objectors at Nether Kellet, near Carnforth and Bolton-le-Sands, say plans by Oakmere Homes for new homes on land behind the Limeburner's Arms pub are 'oversized and inappropriate', Lancaster city councillors are being told.
Oakmere Homes wants outline planning permission to demolish part of a front boundary wall and to demolish an existing building, along with building up to 51 homes and new access.
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However, plan has been backed by one letter of support, saying it will bring much-need life to the village. Five other letters are neutral, according to a planing report. Lancaster City Council planning officers are recommending approval, with conditions including 40 per cent of the new homes be affordable. And the NHS wants over £30,000 to enhance a clinic in Carnforth.
Objectors including Nether Kellet Parish Council, city councillor Sarah McGowan and county councillor Phillippa Williamson oppose the current plan. The parish has suggested around 30 new homes would be more realistic and in keeping with the surroundings, according to a report for the city council's planning committee.
The parish has concerns about proposed drainage details, saying the existing system on Halton Road and Main Road have recently flooded. It has strongly recommend carrying out a full CCTV camera inspection of existing drains if the development goes ahead.
Other worries include access, with the parish saying Main Road has problems with speeding vehicles, narrow footpaths and on-road parking. Other objections include not enough local school places,and no reference for any financial support towards Ash Trees GP surgery or other community amenities.
However, the NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board, one of a number of new regional NHS bodies, has suggested Oakmere contribute £33,000 to enhance Ash Tree Surgery. This is based on a potential 55 homes with a potential 132 people. If the money is not secured, the NHS would object to the plan.
Nearby is Dunald Mill Quarry, a large limestone quarry on both sides of Long Dales Lane, the planning report states. It is divided into two areas. The main quarry void is on the west, with a restoration scheme to create a lake. A shallower quarry is on the east. It was formerly used for a processing plant and stocking area.
Separately, another planning application is being considered by Lancashire County Council, to allow the continuation of mineral extraction there until February 2034, with the site to be restored by February 2035. Lancaster City Council was consulted on this in 2022 and had no objections. Quarrying applications are decided by the county council.
The report on the Oakmere Homes plan includes comments from different authorities or groups. One, the Lancashire Policy Team, has said: “The proposal would not bring development closer to the quarry than properties that already exist on the eastern end of Ashmeadow Road. There does not appear to be a significant risk of encroachment and sterilisation of the mineral resource.
"However, an environmental health officer is correct to note that the proposal is in a key mineral’s extraction area, with minerals of regional significance. There may be further applications for mineral extraction in the future."
Lancaster City Council planning officers are recommending approval with conditions. These include a legal agreement for a financial contributions open space and play provision, and at least 40 per cent affordable homes.
