Housing development refused planning permission
GoogleInitial plans for the construction of 120 homes on arable land in North Lincolnshire have been blocked.
S&M Hewson applied for outline planning permission for the development on land north of Newland Lane in Epworth, with a mixture of two and four bedroom homes proposed over six hectares.
The scheme received objections from Historic England, the Campaign to Protect Rural England, Epworth Town Council and more than 150 residents.
The proposal was refused unanimously by North Lincolnshire Council's planning committee.
Historic England's objection stated the scheme "would cause a high level of harm to the Isle of Axholme Area of Special Historic Landscape Interest", specifically the ancient open strip fields.
The area has some of the most extensive surviving examples of medieval strip field systems in England, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
Other objections included the impact on traffic congestion and other infrastructure.
During the meeting, planning agent Jay Everett read out an assessment by specialist heritage consultant Adam Partington.
Mr Partington said strip field farming "no longer prevails" on the site and there would be "little or no potential" of it returning.
He felt that there would be a "low degree of harm to the non-designated heritage asset", the meeting was told.
The scheme would have seen the developer pay approximately £110,000 towards local health services, the creation of a play area and £41,000 towards local recreation.
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