An application for more than 60 homes on the edge of a village in the east of Rutland is being recommended for approval by planning officers. 

Northamptonshire based Manor Oak Farms lodged the application for the 63-house development on green space between Meadow Lane and Belmesthorpe Road in Ryhall back in December 2022 and Rutland County Council's planning committee will make a decision about whether to approve tomorrow (Tuesday, February 18). 



Illustrated plans of housing development (Photo: Manor Oak Homes)

The report that will be considered by the officers says that due to the lack of a five-year housing land supply, the application should be approved unless there are strong grounds for refusal. 

The planning application papers show that proposed access to the site for 55 of the homes would be via Meadow Lane. The remaining eight homes would be accessed from Belmesthorpe Road. The proposed layout is clusters of homes in cul-de-sac arrangements. 

Leicestershire County Council's senior planning archaeologist, Chloe Cronogue-Freeman has commented on the application and says that due to prehistoric archaeological remains being located across the entire site 'the applicant must make arrangements for and implement an appropriate programme of archaeological investigation'. 

There have been a number of objections submitted. Lesley Hayes said: "At this moment in time (3rd January 2024) this land is flooded. At this moment in time it is just a field and if when rain is allowed to soak into the field that there is daily an increasing amount of surface water then if 80 dwellings were to be constructed they in turn would become flooded as would the property in the immediate vicinity. There is also the River Gwash running near by which is likely to be subjected to flooding. My comment is that this land is not suitable for development." 

Some residents have voiced their concerns on social media. 

Nisah Keshav said: "I can't imagine what it's going to be like for traffic, already so busy in the morning when I go to work. Still only Lakeside surgery? Crazy. They really haven't taken into consideration the infrastructure in Stamford." 

The site was subject of two planning applications for housing schemes in the 1960s but were refused due to a lack of sewage capacity. 

The land is not designated in the current emerging local plan as a housing site and the council papers say 'it was not taken forward on the basis of its agricultural land quality. "Those allocations were considered on the basis of a lower housing need than is currently the case. It would not be appropriate to attempt to determine whether or not the site would have been allocated had the housing need." 

On its website Manor Oak Farms say that the scheme seeks the 

• Delivery of a range of house types and sizes in a sustainable location. 
• Provision of 30% affordable housing which will assist in meeting the local need for affordable housing. 
• Creation of new open space with a play area providing opportunities for recreation and connections between new and existing communities. 
• Through retention and enhancement of key habitat features, and delivery of sustainable urban drainage systems there will be an opportunity for a net gain in biodiversity. 
• The site is well related to existing public transport and the proposal incorporates opportunities for walking and cycling. 

The applicant has been contacted for a comment.