Housing plans would affect everyone

A Boston Spa man is warning that the latest housing plans could have far reaching effects on the village.

An application has been submitted by Illuminating Investments Ltd and Stonebridge Homes to Leeds City Council for the demolition of existing buildings, conversion of Borlocco House to 10 apartments and erection of 68 dwellings with new access road and landscaping on Church Street.

Many concerns from residents and the parish council have already been made to city planners but Andrew Groves, who lives near the site says this latest scheme is just too much.

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“If the latest Church Street development gets the go ahead in its current form, more than 320 new dwellings will have arrived in Boston Spa in a relatively short space of time.

“As someone who has a neighbouring plot with the Church Street Development, I’m affected more than most but the effects are more far reaching than Church Street. The effects radiate throughout the village and affect everyone to some extent.”

Mr Groves moved to the village seven years ago with his young family, in search of an area with plenty of green space to explore and withing walking distance of shops and restaurants.

“Most people agree that St Vincent’s school is an eyesore and regularly trespassed upon.

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“Developing that particular plot would improve the area and its benefits would outweigh the immediate downsides. However, it’s unanimously agreed that the remainder of the site, behind St Vincent’s, is inappropriately designed and overdeveloped, being yet more small family houses, with no provision for the elderly.”

He added that increased traffic is a huge concern for residents.

“Anyone who has tried to drive down Church Street will be fully aware of the problem,” said Mr Groves.

“The newly proposed Borlocco House entrance is in a particularly poor position with regard to visibility, being on a blind bend adjacent to Primrose Lane. “In a one hour period I filmed 292 cars from the Primrose Lane junction.

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“Parents from the local schools off Church Street spoke to me of their concerns and informed me that they felt morning drop off was already a problem with traffic and that the current situation was dangerous with kerb mounting commonplace.”

Mr Groves said that the application is in a conservation area and added: “The new houses are out of style and character both from a material and density point of view, compared to the surrounding properties, and do little to enhance the conservation area.”

The closing date for comments on the application is March 15.

At a recent Boston Spa Parish Council meeting councillors raised concerns about the number of houses proposed and the impact on traffic on Church Street, particularly from the St Vincent’s area.