North Lincolnshire Council proposes new Garden City with 10,000 homes

The council is planning on submitting a proposal to the Government to apply for Garden City status for Lincolnshire Lakes and surrounding areas. The Garden City would cover over 10,000 homes across the whole of Lincolnshire Lakes and a number of nearby areas. It would help reposition and raise the profile of all North Lincolnshire has to offer – putting it firmly on the map as a place to live, work, invest and play.

A Garden City gives the powers of the New Towns Act to the council which will bring development forward faster. Extra resources and expert advice will be given to help speed up the delivery of schemes by transferring planning powers to the council.

Becoming a Garden City would bring about a number of benefits including making the area more attractive, competitive and sustainable.  It would also make sure the scheme delivers much-needed housing that is high-quality and well designed.

The benefits to residents would include funding and support around help to buy schemes, affordable housing and starter homes.

Garden Cities are large-scale developments that are well-designed and bring together high-quality homes, jobs, schools and green spaces in communities where future generations will live and work, while at the same time preserve or enhance the countryside.

Garden City status could allow the council to compulsory buy land, if necessary, and will be able to provide long-term planning certainty to private sector investors and landowners.

Cllr Liz Redfern, Leader of North Lincolnshire Council, said: 'The Lincolnshire Lakes project will help accommodate growth; regenerate the town centre and protect our much-loved countryside and the setting of villages in North Lincolnshire. It is the largest and most ambitious housing, business and leisure development in the north of England.

'The Garden City proposal will help support our vision for North Lincolnshire and the Lincolnshire Lakes project to be the north of England’s global gateway.

'We are committed to supporting our communities and increasing the number of homes, where needed – achieving this status will help get work up and running quicker.

'The advantages of Garden Community development is that we can ensure the right provision of schools, healthcare and transport infrastructure will be in place from the start. And more people can be helped into home ownership.

'Garden City status will encourage jobs, better transport links, improved facilities and infrastructure. This in turn will make sure North Lincolnshire is a place where people want to live, work, invest and play.

'People right across North Lincolnshire will benefit from Garden City status, which is why we are keen to get peoples’ views on the proposals. At the consultation events we will have the proposal on display and officers will be on-hand to answer any of your questions. Please come along and help shape the proposal that we submit to the Government later in the month.'

Lincolnshire Lakes

North Lincolnshire is set to become one of the fastest growing economies in the north of England in the centre of the Humber Energy Estuary and the emerging £100bn offshore wind market. To keep up with the economic growth and the aging population the most ambitious leisure and housing scheme in the country – Lincolnshire Lakes – is being planned. It will deliver a brand new waterside setting for leisure, business and new homes in six new villages. It is set to transform the image and economy of Scunthorpe and North Lincolnshire.

The £1.3bn Lincolnshire Lakes project on the outskirts of Scunthorpe is one of the largest (692.4 hectares), most transformation and challenging housing projects currently being delivered anywhere in the country.

There will be a new business park, new Scunthorpe United Football stadium, new homes, leisure facilities including a number of recreational lakes and artificial beaches, shopping centres, schools, cafes, pubs, hotels, restaurants and much more.

The following housing areas are including in the Garden City proposal:

• Lincolnshire Lakes – 7,739 houses

• Land south of Ferry Road West – 721 houses

• Land north of Doncaster Road – 1,264 houses

• Land at Ashby Decoy Club off Burringham Road – 71 dwellings

• Former Darby Glass offices and factory – 74 houses

• Land at Capps Coal and Timber Yard, Burringham Road – 40 houses

• Land at former South Leys School, Enderby Road – 120 houses