Under the plans, a 40-space lorry park, amenities building, petrol station and drive-thrus would be built on the A15 near to the roundabout linking the A45.
However, in a written response to the planning application, the Parish Councils of Burton-By-Lincoln and Riseholm have requested that the plans be “robustly refused”.
Conservative MP Sir Edward Leigh, who represents the Gainsborough constituency, has also criticised the application. The Tory MP told local newspaper The Lincolnite that the lorry park “could cause considerable delays and potentially increase the risk of accidents on what is already a very busy and dangerous road.”
In the aforementioned planning application response, authored by the planning consultant of the Burton-By-Lincoln and Riseholm Parish Councils, the site for the lorry park is considered to be “a wholly inappropriate location for such a development to take place”.
“The application makes numerous contradictions and entirely omits consideration of several important planning policy and environmental matters. Owing to the lack of a strategic identified need for this type of development in the locality and the absence of an appropriate retail sequential test, the proposal is considered to be unacceptable and contrary to policies LP2, LP6 and LP55 of the CLLP and policies S1, S5, S35 of the emerging CLLPR,” states the response.
The document adds that the proposed development would lead to “unacceptable urban sprawl into the countryside and the Green Wedge”.
“The presence of HGVs on the site overnight and the extent of lighting required for this 24hr facility would further compound its visual prominence, further detracting from the prevailing rural character and appearance,” argues the planning consultant.
Finally, another issue referred to in the document was noise pollution:
“Additional noise and disturbance will also be created through the use of the site, including car door slams, HGV reverse beepers, idling refrigerated HGVs and noise associated with drive thru ordering systems. The proposed development will create further pollution (air & light) and noise disturbance issues, further compounding the issues experienced in the local area.”
The news follows concerns that local authorities are repeatedly ruining plans to improve the UK’s lorry parking capacity and facilities.
Some good news on this front could come in the shape of a planned lorry park on the A42. According to Leicestershire Live, the local council was yesterday expected to approve a plan for a lorry park submitted by Euro Garages.
However as the article linked above shows, there is no shortage of local opposition to the application. Leicestershire Live writes that the Premier Inn Hotel fears “guests’ health would be put at risk” from the lorry park, while locals have also reportedly bemoaned that the HGV facility would be “overbearing” due to its size and height.
Update: the plans for the A42 lorry park have been given the green light according to Ashby Hub News.
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