Waltham windmill housing scheme 'will destroy village' - campaigners

The scheme included 154 new homes

Campaigners opposing a plan for 150 homes at the site of a 150-year-old windmill have argued it will destroy a village that is overdeveloped.

Developers said proposals for land on Cheapside, in Waltham, near Grimsby, would improve views of the historic windmill and allow for affordable housing.

But opposers warn of an impact on "creaking" infrastructure.

Waltham Parish Council is to discuss the scheme on 7 November. 

The proposals by MF Strawson Ltd and Carr (Builders) Ltd include 27 two-bed homes, 71 three-bed and 56 four-bed homes, as well as a park running through the centre of the site.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Save Our Windmill View Action Group said the proposed scheme "adds to more than 1,200 homes within a three-minute radius of the village centre and the local authority already meets housing needs".

The developer said the scheme would offer enhanced views of the windmill

John Clarkson described the infrastructure as "creaking", citing traffic as one of the major concerns with some drivers using lanes off Cheapside to avoid "crunch points".

"There's a significant shortage of school places," he said.

"There's no doctor's surgery. The new residents will further exacerbate the waiting times at Holton-le-Clay practice."

Mandy Roberts believed housing developments would negatively change Waltham and said: "I was born in Waltham and I've lived in this area all my life, it's awful what they're doing."

A developers' spokesperson said traffic had "been an issue for many years" and the council found a solution by proposing a new traffic light system at Toll Bar roundabout.

There will be two access roads to the development and a new footpath is also proposed to link to an existing footpath.

They said a new school would be "partly funded by Section 106 monies from developers who have built in the area".

Pre-application advice was sought in 2021 and two public consultation events were held at Waltham Golf Club in 2022.

Two recent housing schemes in the area have been rejected by councillors, but are subject to appeals.

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