Plans to create a yoga retreat are set to be turned down over fears for the nearby residents.
Members of South Holland District Council’s planning committee felt that land off Station Road in Tydd Gote was not the ‘right location’ to create holiday lodges and a yoga building.
Concerns were raised during Wednesday’s debate about the narrow entrance to the field, which runs between two properties, along with the impact on nearby residents.
But Lincolnshire County Council’s highways department came in for criticism as it did not lodge an objection about the access or the visibility for drivers.
Coun Chris Brewis: “We should be asking the county to look at this again. They can’t have seriously considered the impact and visibility on Station Road. I don’t believe it’s been considered properly.”
Mr S Necker has applied to construct five holiday lodges, a yoga retreat studio and a pond which would resemble a Japanese water garden. The application had been recommended for approval by the council’s officers.
Agent Liam Lunn-Towler, who spoke out in support of the application, stated that the plan was to provide a ‘peaceful retreat’.
He said: “In conclusion the application complies with planning policies, provides local and wider community benefit of the facility and growth of the rural economy.”
But resident Richard Wright spoke out against the bid by highlighting that it lies outside of the settlement boundaries set out by the South East Lincolnshire Local Plan.
“Once complete there is the potential for 16 vehicle movements per hour and it doesn’t take into account the lodges,” Mr Wright told the meeting.
“There have already been two fatalities on Station Road.
“There are no amenities in the village, very little public transport so there will be no economic benefit through tourist spending or employment. There is no local demand for this facility.”
Coun Jack Tyrrell asked a number of questions about the application including the width of the entry road while Coun Allan Beal said he could not support the application.
Councillor Paul Barnes said: “I have a concern about the volume of traffic.
“What I would say is that they would not be going off this site to go to the village. They are going somewhere else as there are no real amenities in this village that could benefit from this site. My gut feeling is this is not a good idea on that location so I would move to reject it.”
Coun Paul Redgate suggested that the motion to refuse the application should be based on the grounds of impact of the nearby amenity of residents.
Earlier in the meeting he said: “As South Holland (District Council), we should welcome entrepreneurial direction, if people want to do something that will have a benefit for everyone.
“Someone is trying to do something for the benefit to themselves but they are trying to bring economy to the area which we should welcome. There’s a few things I don’t feel comfortable with.”
Coun Gary Taylor said they were trying to promote the area as a tourist destination but expressed concerns about residents and road.
He said: “We have a duty to listen to those concerns and objections.”
Coun Bryan Alcock said nationally there is encouragement for this kind of development as in the ‘future we should be flying and should be looking for destinations in the UK’.
He also expressed concern about the visibility of the access.
The councillor said: “A conversation is to be had with the county council and to assure that the visible splay shown on the plan.”
