Object

Representation ID: 3705

Received: 28/08/2025

Respondent: Mrs Crystal Cunningham

I strongly object to this application. The Drift is narrow, lacks continuous footpaths, and cannot safely accommodate two-way traffic. Increased vehicles would endanger pedestrians, cyclists, and other road users, especially given poor visibility at the A607, where speeding is common. Harlaxton is a historic village recorded in the Domesday Book, with The Manor standing prominently in open fields; this setting should be preserved. The development would be obtrusive and inappropriate, harming the village’s historic character. Harlaxton also lacks sufficient services, with no shop and only a small school and limited surgery capacity. This proposal is unsustainable.

Object

Representation ID: 3706

Received: 28/08/2025

Respondent: Mrs Claire Waite

This site is wholly inappropriate for a housing development as:
1. The road is narrow and paths are not continuous
2. The local infrastructure is already overloaded
3. There is insufficient capacity at the current Anglian Water sewage plant
4. It would exacerbate an already dangerous road crossing on the A607
5. It would be inappropriate for a village of this size and with this historical nature

Object

Representation ID: 3710

Received: 28/08/2025

Respondent: Miss Laura Fellows

The proposed allocation of land for 112 houses raises serious concerns. Harlaxton faces heavy traffic on its 50mph road, increased pedestrian crossing, especially by children, would heighten accident risks. The Drift’s junction is already dangerous and would worsen with more cars. The village’s historic character and views from Harlaxton Manor to Belvoir Castle would be harmed. Current infrastructure, including water, sewage, and drainage, is inadequate and prone to flooding. Speeding is a problem down the Drift. Increased traffic will make the road more unsafe. Finally, development of the site will threaten wildlife corridors and habitat and the canal ecosystem.

Object

Representation ID: 3712

Received: 28/08/2025

Respondent: Ms Emma Downing

Loss of versatile farmland, impact on wildlife, insufficient infrastructure, increase in traffic on unsuitable road, further surface water flooding, impact on historic setting west of Harlaxton

Object

Representation ID: 3815

Received: 28/08/2025

Respondent: DR R C Hutton

I write to you to register my objection to the proposed allocation of land for 112 new houses off the drift on what is at present prime agricultural land. Reasons:
1. There are already a demonstrable infrastructure deficit existing in Harlaxton.
Additionally surface water drainage and downstream flooding issues are common during rainfall periods. These often affect my own property adversely.
As wheelchair using disabled person whose sole form of transport is a mobility scooter, I fear that any increase in traffic.

2. Increased traffic on the drift and poor visibility on the A 607 poses a potentially dangerous situation to vehicle drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists. This can only worsen if the sought for development comes into being.
3. Additionally, the Drift is narrow and has no continuous pathways. It cannot support any traffic volume increase.
4. Anglian’s water’s treatment sewage plant does not have the capacity to deal with the proposed development.
5. There would be a loss of good and versatile agricultural land and a risk of the village being extended eastwards into exposed farmland. It would further set a precedent for more large-scale developments in Harlaxton and be obtrusive and inappropriate to the village.

Comment

Representation ID: 3841

Received: 11/08/2025

Respondent: Mrs C Davies

With reference to land off The Drift being included in the Local Plan for housing. This site is totally unsuitable for the following reasons:

1) Too large a development
2)Sewer system according to Anglian Water unable to cope with more than 50 new houses
3) Drift too narrow to cope with any more traffic
4)Flood risk, despite recent works, road still floods near the canal
5)Unsuitable due to significant and lasting harm to the local landscape, ecology and heritage

Object

Representation ID: 3846

Received: 28/08/2025

Respondent: Andrew Cartlidge

1. Longstanding Occupation and Intent at Purchase

2. Active Rural Land Use and Compatibility Concerns

3. Privacy, Amenity, and Separation

4. The Gallop and Long-Established Public Use
• A valued amenity for recreation and access within the village.
• A cultural and functional feature which would be irreparably lost if built over.

5. Impact on Village Character and Community
Any development on this land would undermine the established character of this approach to the village and reduce the buffer between residential areas and the surrounding working rural landscape.

6. Fallback Position – Minimum Mitigation if Allocation Proceeds
Should the Council proceed with the allocation despite the clear and robust grounds set out above, we request that any development be conditioned to include:

-A permanent, minimum 15-metre-wide landscape buffer of dense, established planting, measured from the centre of the existing shared hedge (not from supplementary sheep fencing installed in 2012 within our land).

-Legal protection for this buffer to remain undevelopable in perpetuity, either by planning condition or through a Section 106 agreement.

-This would represent the minimum necessary mitigation to preserve privacy, reduce amenity conflicts, and maintain a physical and visual separation between active rural land and any new housing.

Object

Representation ID: 3847

Received: 28/08/2025

Respondent: Harlaxton Parish Council

This objection is grounded in the following material planning considerations:

1. Conflict with the adopted spatial strategy and settlement hierarchy
2. Infrastructure inadequacy and cumulative service capacity failure
3. Landscape and character harm
4. Incompatibility with SKDC’s 2025–2030 Housing Strategy
5. Precedent of recent refusal (S25/0558 – “Harlaxton Meadows”)
6. Undermining of sustainable development principles in the NPPF
7. Irreplaceable heritage hedgerows and loss of established countryside use

Comment

Representation ID: 3858

Received: 15/08/2025

Respondent: Dr Jane Dyas

Harlaxton is now classified as a small village with the recent loss of shop and post office.

There is now no regular GP provision in the village
I do not think that the site that is being proposed for development off the drift for 112 new homes is appropriate. There are significant things I would like to be considered before the plan is drawn up.

Infrastructure:
Lacking to support any further housing development in the surrounding area than has already been agreed in the whole of the South Kesteven area.

Narrow road:
A major objection lies in the access point. This a very narrow road with single passing already an issue near the bridge and outside existing houses. This being an objection for the period of development by the builders as well as subsequent problems for residents.

Concerned that it would set a precedent for future large scale development of what is a village that represents all that is good about south-Kesteven. Charm, conservation area, historic interest and close community

Water recycling:
Limited capacity at the Harlaxton Water recycling centre

Finally the site is in the Harlaxton Denton Bowl which has already been identified as being sensitive to major development.

Object

Representation ID: 3861

Received: 22/08/2025

Respondent: Susie McCahon

I wish to submit the following comments in relation to site SKPR - 318 (The Drift, Harlaxton), identified in the draft local plan as proposed allocation for land for 112 new houses on this site.

I object to this site being allocated for 112 new homes due to the following:

The size of this proposed development is disproportionate to the size of the village of Harlaxton, and would be visually intrusive, and out of keeping with the nature of the village.

As a resident I know that the junction at the top of the Main Road onto the A607 is already dangerous for drivers, particularly turning right towards Grantham, and the increase of vehicles belonging to 112 dwellings would add significantly to this hazard.

The Drift is a narrow road and in general I don't think it would be suitable to bear this daily increase in traffic.

The loss of green and agricultural land would be of detriment.

Object

Representation ID: 3870

Received: 28/08/2025

Respondent: Lianne Abbott

This is an excessive number of homes for a village of Harlaxtons size. Particularly in relation to the number of homes on The Drift, this must almost double the number of properties.

The roads around Harlaxton (The Drift, A607 and the High Street) are already an extremely busy area. The bridge at the bottom of the bridge was not built for this type of traffic and is already used as a rat run when other parts of Grantham are busy. It's a busy area at school times when children are being driven to Harlaxton Primary from outside the village. Trying to cross the road at the A607 is already a dangerous sport (one which is currently expected of school children from both sides of the village to catch buses!).

Flooding! Anyone who has been down The Drift after a couple of wet days will be aware of the flooding just before the bridge. Building of this proportion will only increase this and cause further distress to the homes that this alrready has an impact on. I also believe that Anglian Water sewerage plant does not have the capacity to deal with the increase in properties.

There are many other concerns, including the fact The Drift itself is a very narrow road with no full pathway, increased traffic to the village for the school, also limited capacity at the school, limited capacity at the doctors surgery and the historic setting of Harlaxton to name a few.

Object

Representation ID: 3875

Received: 28/08/2025

Respondent: Elba Homes

I am writing to formally object to the draft allocation SKPR-318 as part of the ongoing consultation on the Local Plan.

1.Lack of a Willing Landowner/Developer Partnership:
At present, there is no agreement or collaboration between the relevant landowners to bring forward a comprehensive scheme.

2.Access and Connectivity Constraints:
The draft allocation relies on access from The Drift and connection to the adjacent development.

In the event that the Charity makes individual representations and pursues an alternative access from the A607, I would also ask that the following material concerns be taken into consideration:

•Highways Safety:
•Heritage Impact:
•Character and Layout of the Village:
•Conservation and Landscape:

The removal of mature and established hedgerows to create a new access from the A607 would result in unnecessary harm to the character of the conservation area and surrounding landscape.

Object

Representation ID: 3984

Received: 25/08/2025

Respondent: Mr P T Baker

The impending housing whilst not completely covering the back field, will I'm sure in time go down if the Council are up against my back-boundary hedge, eventually.

In conclusion my reasons for no houses to be built are
1. The land is farm land
2. It will completely kill off the wildlife I see most days
3. Our house is a like a secure haven from the outside world which helps us cope in a increasingly frantic, in awful and dangerous world.

My wife and I do not wish to move again.

Object

Representation ID: 3985

Received: 25/08/2025

Respondent: Mrs J Baker

Site Ref: SKPR-318

The reasons I feel that in no way this should go ahead are:

1. It will totally ruin the natural habitat of all the wildlife we see every day.
2. The Drift would not be able to take the increased volume of traffic, and narrow pathways, safely.
3. Also with declining services i.e no village shop, post office, and school and GP Surgery not big enough to take on even more people in The Village.
4. Water surface drainage is poor and there would be downstream flooding issues, so not suitable to build on.
5. Insufficient capacity at Anglican Water Sewage Treatment plant.

Object

Representation ID: 4050

Received: 27/08/2025

Respondent: Alison Johnson

This development risks extending the village into farmland resulting in the loss of good suitable land for farming, which also runs the risk of bleeding the village in to the larger and wider town of Grantham meaning that Harlaxton will significantly lose its identify as a historical village in its own right. A village whose original estate (Harlaxton Manor) only began selling off its historical houses 90 years ago.

I am additionally concerned about the increased traffic and road dangers likely at the cross roads at the top of both the drift and main street which feed on to the main and very inappropriately fast road Grantham to Melton.

The likelihood of more children crossing this road to get to school and to pickup school buses, walking along already narrow roads with no or limited pavements (the drift)

Development at the top of the drift will also like lead to significant water run off pushed down the dip on the high street impacting many historical buildings and other homes sited in the basin close to the obelisk.

Finally the increase pressure put on inadequately staffed and supported doctors surgery in Harlaxton

Object

Representation ID: 4051

Received: 27/08/2025

Respondent: Alan Ellison

I object to the suggestion of building a further 112 houses in Harlaxton as roads, infrastructure and amenities could not cope.

Object

Representation ID: 4054

Received: 22/08/2025

Respondent: Jeroen Jansen

I would like to comment on the proposed allocation of land for 112vnew houses. i object to the above for many reason, some of which are set out below:
• The road (The Drift) is unsuitable as it is too narrow, lacking footpaths in several places and unsuitable for construction traffic
• The village has insufficient infrastructure for this increase in population (no shop, limited health care facilities, limited public transport)
• The proposed land is Green Land with active agricultural use as well as established wild flower areas supporting diverse wild life.
Development of 112 homes would increase housing stock by more than 40% totally changing characteristics of this village.

Object

Representation ID: 4097

Received: 19/08/2025

Respondent: David Armes

I feel this would be a disproportionate development and would be obtrusive and inappropriate for the village of Harlaxton.

The main access to the Drift is from a very busy Crossroads, situated on the A607, ( Grantham to Melton Mowbray ). This Crossroads is already a very busy junction, feeding into High Street Harlaxton. This is not helped by a 50mph speed limit on the A 607.
To increase activity , at this junction with a possibility of up to 150 extra vehicles, if this development goes ahead, would cause considerable safety problems.

The Drift is a narrow road with no continuous footpaths, and cannot support such a volume increase of traffic.

This development would lose some of the best and most versatile agricultural land by extending the village east into exposed farmland.

We already have infrastructure capacity problems with GP access and primary school places. This would only add to this situation.

There is already insufficient capacity at Anglian Water’s sewerage treatment plant for the village.

The existing surface water drainage and implications of downstream flooding in the village of Harlaxton, needs to be seriously considered , regarding this proposed development.

Object

Representation ID: 4098

Received: 24/08/2025

Respondent: Yoon Morris

I do not think this site is suitable for the following reasons:
The road access to this site is not adequate being narrow and only meant for rural use. The junction on the A 607 which will be used to access the proposed site is already extremely busy and will lead to dangerous collisions.
There is insufficient infrastructure for the management of wastewater treatment in the village.
Harlaxton Water recycling Centre has only got limited capacity and will not be able to cope.

Object

Representation ID: 4107

Received: 25/08/2025

Respondent: Ian Howe

I object to the above application for the following reasons:-
1) All roads in Harlaxton are narrow and unsuitable for a large number of vehicles needed for such an enterprise. The Drift is such a road.
2) The proposed number of houses will result in an increase in traffic levels which will in turn cause congestion especially at the already dangerous crossroads with the A607
3) I understand that the sewage treatment plant would have difficulty coping with the increased volume that would be generated
4) The Drift already floods near to the canal and this development would increase this risk

Object

Representation ID: 4122

Received: 27/08/2025

Respondent: Lee Eveleigh

1. Loss of Agricultural Land
The proposed site would result in the irreversible loss of high-quality, versatile agricultural land.

2. Encroachment into Open Countryside
The scheme risks extending the built form of the village eastwards into exposed farmland, creating an obtrusive and disproportionate intrusion into open countryside.

3. Inappropriate Scale for Harlaxton
Proposal is disproportionate to the size and character of Harlaxton.

4. Lack of Infrastructure Capacity
Harlaxton already suffers from insufficient infrastructure

5. Highway Safety Concerns
The proposed development would significantly increase traffic along The Drift, a narrow rural lane with no continuous footways.

6. Precedent for Further Expansion
Approval of this application would set a dangerous precedent for further large-scale development

7. Sewage and Drainage Constraints
Anglian Water’s local sewage treatment plant is already at or near capacity.

8. Harm to Historic Setting
Intrude into the open historic setting west of The Drift, causing lasting harm to the landscape character and heritage significance of the area.

9. Failure to Meet Sustainability Requirements
Harlaxton cannot be considered a sustainable location for development under national or local planning policy definitions.

Conclusion
The proposed development is wholly inappropriate for Harlaxton. It represents unsustainable, disproportionate, and harmful expansion into the countryside, with unacceptable consequences for heritage, landscape, infrastructure, safety, and the environment.

Object

Representation ID: 4142

Received: 26/08/2025

Respondent: Mr Andrew Kelly

Objection reasons:
•Precedent for further large-scale growth – Approving this site would set a dangerous precedent for additional major development in Harlaxton, contrary to the Local Plan’s spatial strategy which focuses growth in larger settlements.

•Traffic and road safety – Access via the A607 and The Drift is unsuitable.

•Heritage and landscape harm – The site intrudes into open countryside west of The Drift, eroding the historic setting of the village.

•Scale disproportionate to village – 112 houses is excessive for a small rural village, fundamentally altering its character and historic setting.

•Loss of high-quality agricultural land – The site is prime farmland, and development would result in the permanent loss of a valuable resource.

•School and GP capacity – Harlaxton’s school and GP surgery cannot accommodate the population growth that this development would generate.

•Declining local services – Harlaxton already suffers from reduced services and infrastructure deficits.

•Flood risk and drainage – The site falls within the catchment risk zone of Allington Meadows SSSI.

•Sewage and utilities – The local sewage treatment plant is understood to be at/near capacity.

Conclusion:
This site is unsuitable and unsustainable for housing development.

Object

Representation ID: 4143

Received: 26/08/2025

Respondent: Adrian Finnis

Number of people: 2

- Our understanding is that Harlaxton is currently classed as “ a large village” and therefore has an obligation to fulfil a larger amount of houses. We believe that following the closure of the local shop the qualification will fall below the large village classification and consequently negate the need for such a large development.
- The current infrastructure notably The GP surgery and School would not be able to fulfil a substantial increase in numbers.
- Anglian water sewage facility has insufficient capacity to cope with a significant increase in dwellings.
- Serious implications on surface water drainage and likely hood of resulting flooding downstream.
- Inevitable impact on extra vehicles on a very narrow access road and resulting dangers to pedestrians and cyclists. Access to A607 at an already dangerous junction.
- 112 houses is totally disproportionate to the current size of the village and would lead to further development if allowed.
- Development would impact the open historic setting west of The Drift.

Mainly of the reasons above were applicable to the consideration of the development of land at Swinehill which was turned down so we are unsure why this proposal is any different.

Object

Representation ID: 4144

Received: 27/08/2025

Respondent: David Cox

1. The entrance to the site of this proposed allocation of land is off an extremely narrow road

2. The junction of The Drift with the A607 is part of an already dangerous crossroads.

3. The location of the proposed development site is currently some of the best agricultural land in the county. It is not appropriate to use it for new housing, when there are many other areas more suitable for such a building project.

4. The road opposite The Drift is the main entrance into Harlaxton Village, with its school, doctor’s surgery, Social Club, and Village Hall. The road system of the village is already overloaded at certain times of the day; additional traffic from 112 new homes will only make traffic issues worse, car accidents more frequent, and the roads more dangerous.

5. The infrastructure of Harlaxton (e.g. water supply and drainage, sewage management etc.) is already inadequate for the existing population. It does not have the capacity to provide for 112 additional homes.

6. While the building of a few new houses would be acceptable for a village like Harlaxton, 112 new-builds is totally inappropriate. Harlaxton’s historic charm and beauty would be lost.

Object

Representation ID: 4165

Received: 20/08/2025

Respondent: Louise Parker

Number of people: 2

•The sewage system is inadequate, it doesn't cope with the current amount of houses, it's constantly blocking up & causing blockages at numbers 13 & 14, Anglian water are having to constantly pump the sewage out as the pump station can't cope.

•Flooding, the bottom of The Drift floods when it rains due to the drains on the verges not maintained, and we get a lot of water run off from Stroud Close causing the bottom of The Drift to become impassable at times.

•Weight Limit of the canal bridge, there is a weight restriction of the bridge at the bottom of The Drift.

•Footpath, The footpath on The Drift is inadequate due to the width of the footpath in places, & the areas of overgrown vegetation.

•Traffic / Speeding, There's an ongoing issue with the amount of Traffic using The Drift, & also the high amount of speeding vehicles which is constantly being monitored.

•Village: The Village school already has issues with traffic & parking, which would be increased by the proposed housing.

•Loss of the best & most versatile farmland.

All of the above are huge issues that will only be increased greatly by the planning if it's agreed, also the A607 has accidents regularly between Grantham & Denton

Object

Representation ID: 4166

Received: 20/08/2025

Respondent: Kim Ridgeway

Harlaxton is currently a small village with approximately 360 houses, many of which are Grade I or II listed. The village has grown organically over the years – thus a development of 112 new homes would be totally incongruous.

My chief concerns are as follows:
1. Traffic –it isn’t clear where the access to the new homes would be. However, the A607 is a red route and any access directly on to it is likely to increase the number of accidents. If the access is on to The Drift, which is itself a narrow road with poor visibility on to the A607, would increase the volume of traffic going on to the A607 by some 200+ cars, again increasing the number of potential road accidents.
2. The sewage system – Anglian Water has stated that Harlaxton has capacity for a further 50 homes.

I understand that under the current points system, Harlaxton is not classed as a small village, however with the recent loss of our village shop and post office I believe that situation may have changed that.

I would hope that the council will decide against allocating land for housing development in Harlaxton.

Comment

Representation ID: 4173

Received: 26/08/2025

Respondent: Mrs Lynn Duncan

Highway safety
Harlaxton crossroads junction is hazardous for all road users and pedestrians; numerous accidents, collisions and fatalities have occurred. The significant increase in traffic volume to access the proposed allocation site via either The Drift or the A607 with a speed restriction of 50 mph seems too dangerous to consider and increases the probability of further accidents if permitted.

Flood risk
The Drift has a gradient leading from the A607 to the lowest point at Grantham Canal. A combination of highway surface water, surface water runoff from land and insufficient drainage capacity will inevitably create further flooding and unbalance the water levels of the canal. The present infrastructure to supply the services needed to support a larger community will be under extreme pressure to cope with the extra demand.

Conservation areas and heritage
The proposed allocation site is within close proximity to Harlaxton Manor - a Grade I listed building with Grade II listed park and gardens. Harlaxton is a conservation village with Grade II listed buildings and conservation areas therefore the allocation site is an inappropriate location, clearly visible with significant loss of Harlaxton’s rural heritage identity. Harlaxton’s heritage assets and setting must be preserved and enhanced for future generations in accordance with the Planning (Listed Building and Conservation Areas) Act 1990.

Object

Representation ID: 4175

Received: 25/08/2025

Respondent: Amanda Howard

Much the same restrictions apply to this land, as with the recently (rightly) refused application on land West of Swinehill: Anglian Water confirm insufficient waste water treatment capacity, poor road access, and an encroachment onto the precious Harlaxton-Denton Bowl.

The junction with the A607 is treacherous - perhaps not in reported accidents, but most certainly in near misses. I witnessed one just yesterday. It is not only that the road is fast, it is a dangerous cross-roads where drivers always seem confused. The Drift is a narrow village road, ill-equipped to take additional traffic.

It would also be a car-dependent development, as Harlaxton is not well connected for either cyclists or bus-users - something latest guidelines try to avoid.

It is also my opinion that Harlaxton is wrongly assigned 'Large Village' status. We now have no shop/post office, limited Drs facilities (it's a dispensary really), and a school. There should be a review of the classification given the recent closure of the post office.

Whilst Government imposed targets create a need to find sites, it is all our responsibility to build responsibly and irrevocably destroying a village such as Harlaxton must not be allowed.

Comment

Representation ID: 4214

Received: 26/08/2025

Respondent: Nick Birch

1. The proposed land is of prime agricultural quality. There are more suitable brownfield / urban sites around the SKDC area.
2. The Anglian Water sewage treatment works that this land would use, if housing were to be built, is at full capacity, and Anglian Water has said that there are no immediate plans to upgrade / invest in this treatment works.
3. The road infrastructure (The Drift) is narrow and exits to the south onto the red route A607 by Harlaxton village. It’s a Red Route for a reason, with numerous accidents. I fear that such an allocation, with possible future housing will cause further issues regarding safety and congestion in this sensitive area
4. Harlaxton should have its “Large Village” status reviewed, now the village shop and Post Office has closed. We are left with a pub, a primary school at full capacity and a GP practice where it’s really difficult to get appointments. The scale of the proposed allocation would increase the size of Harlaxton by 28%. It would be much more sensible to add capacity around the many large developments currently being developed across the SKDC area, or be creative around the many brownfield sites around the SKDC area.

Object

Representation ID: 4215

Received: 23/08/2025

Respondent: Richard Curtis

Recently a proposed development in Harlaxton off of Swine hill was turned down so this illustrates that Harlaxton cannot cater for a large number of new houses in the village. Doctor’s surgery at capacity as well as the school there would need significant investment.

The water company-not sufficient capacity for the Swine hill development.

The Drift is a narrow road which cannot withstand a greater amount of traffic. We already see a number of accidents at this junction and with an increased amount of cars using it, then this number will increase.

One of the reasons I moved to Harlaxton was the feeling of space and countryside. There are lots of wildlife in the area which use the proposed site as a pathway from the canal up and through the village. The established hedgerows along the adjoining land again form an important pathway for smaller mammals to move around. At the very least if the land was allocated these established hedgerows should be kept.

Harlaxton is a lovely village to live in with a good community but with the large amount of new houses this could be destroyed. Please don’t let Harlaxton loose that important English village feel.