A planning appeal over a lorry park is dividing opinion in two villages as a Spalding businessman continues his seven year battle to develop his land.
In June, South Holland District Council rejected Sam Kandola’s plan for a lorry park, shop, toilets and cafe at 37 Moulton Chapel Road, Moulton Chapel.
The application drew comments from people in Moulton Chapel and Cowbit.
Classic Car Buyer editor Peter Simpson, who lives in Back Gate – 200 yards from the site – has fired off an objection to the planning inspectorate in a bid to have the appeal rejected.
Mr Simpson said: “The council’s decision to reject this application was correct and in line both with current planning guidelines and the overwhelming wishes of the community.”
“There are many sites around Spalding that are far better suited to providing these facilities – including at least one that has previously been granted permission.
“This is totally the wrong place, there is no need or reason to provide it here, and the disturbance/inconvenience to local people far outweighs any conceivable benefit.”
But Tony Burton, who lives next door to the site, told the Free Press: “As far as I am concerned, I haven’t got a problem with it.
“I have weighed up the issues, the same as everybody else, and I think it’s a better alternative than what could be put there.”
Mr Burton, who works in recycling, said Mr Kandola and his agent have – at his request – kept him updated on every step.
He’s walked around the site with them and listened to the proposals for noise reduction.
Mr Burton says the site is used as a car wash now and he can’t see any difference between cars using that and calling at the shop.
“Everybody seems to be dead agains this guy,” he said. “But I can see plenty of positives.”
Mr Burton says the shop is more likely to draw traffic from the A16 rather than vehicles coming across from Cowbit.
“When you actually sit and think about it, I don’t think it will be as bad as people think it will be,” he said.
The council rejected the application on grounds including disturbance to residents from vehicles entering and leaving the site, noise from vehicles fitted with refrigeration equipment and the likelihood of the parking surface generating dust.
The appeal is being conducted by written representations and the deadline for public comments is January 17.
l Mr Kandola declined to comment on the appeal.