Over 600 homes a year proposed to be built in South Kesteven over next 18 years

The district council’s latest version of the plan has been approved by SKDC’s Cabinet and the Full Council.

It takes into account public comments made during extensive consultation last summer that resulted in more than 800 written responses.

This round of consultation, which is more formal, runs until July 23, ahead of the plan being submitted to the Secretary of State.

Comments can be made on SKDC’s website www.southkesteven.gov.uk and the plan is available to view in council offices across the district and at libraries. Respondents are urged to use the online response form.

SKDC will send the Local Plan, along with any final valid public comments received, to the Secretary of State who will appoint a Planning Inspector to hold an Examination in Public, probably in the Grantham area.

The Local Plan sets out the framework for housing and economic growth until 2036 but will be subject to review every five years. There is also a proposal for a Supplementary Planning Document on Good Design and it contains important policies for conserving natural and historic environment.

The plan provides for a minimum housing requirement of 625 new homes per year – a total of more than 15,000 up to 2036.

The Government had proposed a minimum requirement of 785 homes per year but, after representations from the council, has delayed when that approach will be introduced.

SKDC Cabinet Member for Economy and Development, Coun Mike King, said: “Work on the Local Plan began in 2015 and there has been wide consultation.

“The majority of new housing development is earmarked for Grantham, including the Garden Village, but we are also proposing significant housing areas on the north side of Stamford and the east side of Market Deeping.

“We have managed to keep our target provision of 625 new homes a year across the district for now, despite Government pressure to increase it still further.

“We have housing land allocated now and planning permissions in place but the challenge is getting housebuilders to build. We are constantly lobbying Government to give us the powers to do this.

“It is important that we enable the right infrastructure to come to our new housing areas and that we attract new jobs to the key employment sites around the district, some of which the Council itself might invest in.”