Cast an eye over big plans for town

YOUR views are wanted on how Gainsborough and Central Lincolnshire should develop over the next 20 years.

A consultation event at the Guildhall in Marshall’s Yard was held last Friday for people to come and discuss plans for the future.

Long term projections suggest 42,000 new homes will be needed across Central Lincolnshire to cope with a predicted population rise of 86,000.

Around 10,000 homes are likely to be built in Gainsborough alone by 2031. And 25 hectares of employment land created.

With scope for such huge potential growth, important work is now being done to make sure development is sustainable and sensitive to communities.

A ‘partial draft core strategy’ has been drawn up by the Central Lincolnshire Joint Planning Unit, containing policies which will guide future planning decisions.

The policies aim to ensure there are enough jobs for local people, as well as infrastructure like schools, roads, shops and doctors surgeries.

“The draft core strategy contains draft policies and proposals for three new neighbourhoods in Gainsborough, as identified through the Gainsborough Regained Masterplan produced by WLDC,” said Luke Fleming, team leader of the CLJPU.

“It is proposed that three quarters of Gainsborough’s 10,000 new homes will be planned through these three new sustainable urban extensions.”

One of the new neighbourhoods already has outline planning permission for 2,500 homes on land south of Foxby Lane.

A northern urban extension is also proposed to hold 2,400 homes on land north of Corringham Road and The Belt Road, south of Wharton Wood.

And an eastern neighbourhood containing 2,100 dwellings would lie south of that, between Corringham Road and Heapham Road, east of White’s Wood.

The policy suggests four new primary schools, along with employment land, shops, community centres, health facilities and a police base should accompany the development.

Consultation on the draft core strategy lasts until Monday 10th September.

“Critically, people who have attended this consultation event have been asking questions and are generally supportive of growth,” said Mr Fleming.

“They can also leave formal feedback, and go away and look at the documents in more detail on our website www.central-lincs.org.uk”

“And we are always on the end of the phone to talk through and explain things.”

“This is just the first stage of the process towards a complete local plan for Central Lincolnshire. There will be further opportunities for people to respond at different stages as the strategy progresses.”

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