A council’s refusal for 43 new homes to be built in a Norfolk village has been overturned by the Planning Inspectorate, despite fears over children’s safety.
Councillors were worried about the project’s inclusion of a drainage pond next to a play area, but a national planning inspector has ruled that this is not a sufficient reason to reject the latest version of the plan.
The proposed development off Benn’s Lane in Terrington St Clement, near King’s Lynn, was refused by West Norfolk Borough Council in January 2022.
The project already had permission in principle, granted by the council in 2018, but the developer then had to request approval for the scheme’s finer details - the final major stage of seeking planning permission.
At a meeting to discuss those finer details, councillors said they were concerned about children wandering away from the play area and into the pond.
Local independent councillor Sandra Squire said at the time: “You can fence it all you like, but toddlers are fast, and unless it’s a totally, completely fenced-in area, which will look ugly, they will get through it.”
Despite warnings from planning officers that this was a weak reason for refusal, the committee voted by nine votes to two against the development, with five abstentions - and their decision was appealed with the inspectorate.
In a recent decision notice, inspector J Downs pointed out that “equipped play areas are intended for use by younger children who are likely to be supervised”.
The inspector added that the latest version of the plans, submitted as part of the appeal, have removed a gate which opens onto the pond and made alterations to the fencing to improve security.
In a letter the council confirmed that this had partially addressed their safety concerns, but the inspector said the council had not provided any “substantiating evidence” about any other safety concerns.
The inspector concluded that the development should go ahead, but only on condition that the safety measures around the pond are put in place before the first house is occupied.
The development will comprise 11 pairs of semi-detached houses and 21 detached houses, with 11 two-bed, 20 three-bed and 12 four-bed properties, with nine of the total planned to be affordable.
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