Pit plan set to be approved
AN application for a borrow pit on a controversial housing site in Caister is poised to be approved today despite heavy opposition from the parish council.
AN application for a borrow pit on a controversial housing site in Caister is poised to be approved today despite heavy opposition from the parish council.
Work on a site off West Road in Caister ground to a halt earlier this year after developer Bloor Homes dug a borrow pit - moving soil from one location to another - without permission.
The parish council reported the activity to Norfolk County Council and members of its minerals planning team have visited the site.
Permission for 150 homes was granted subject to a 106 agreement relating to affordable housing and open space. And the area identified for use of open space is the part of land being excavated.
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However, a report going before the planning regulatory committee today suggests that permission should be given subject to a string of strict conditions including a one-year time limit, hours of working, protection of public rights of way and Internal Drainage Board requirements.
The parish council strongly opposes the application on the grounds that the pit has already been dug and that this work “was not obvious in their original planning application”.
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If approved it means Bloor Homes would be able to extract 158,000 tonnes of sand and clay for raising ground levels on the housing site to 1.66metres.
The site was given outline planning permission in 1999 and the application for 150 homes was last year referred to the secretary of state following local concerns over flooding and climate change. The application was handed back to the borough council who gave it the go-ahead because reversing the decision would have cost thousands in compensation.
The meeting takes place at County Hall in Norwich at 10am today .
