Allison Homes submits fresh application to lower ‘ski slope’ development in Moulton Chapel

The controversial ‘ski slope’ development could be knocked down to lower levels, if new plans are approved.

Allison Homes has now submitted a fresh application to reduce the height of its Chapel Gate estate in Moulton Chapel – which dismayed people living around the building site due to raised levels and high entrance road.

The builder has not withdrawn its appeal to the Planning Inspectorate - which aims to try to reverse South Holland District Council’s decision to deny permission for the raised site levels of its Roman Road development in February.

However, under this new application, Allison is proposing how it could remove all the material it had carted in to raise the site levels along with removing the road base.

News of the fresh application has been welcomed by Moulton Parish Council – which has been fighting to have the levels reduced.

Coun Lawrence Wakefield, who represents Moulton Chapel, said: “Some of Moulton Parish Council met with Allison Homes and listened to what they had to say.

“Hopefully they will stick to what they say and take the ski slope away and put it down to sensible levels.

“The local authority and developer can learn lessons from this if they liaise with the local people on the ground, it could have saved an awful lot of controversy.

“If it had been taken more seriously when they were first notified it might never have come to this.”

District councillor Anthony Casson said: "I am pleased that they have put the plans in."

The planning application, which was submitted to the district council on August 7, outlined the sequence of operations, with remedial work to lower the current levels.

The remediation statement submitted with the application says: “Fill material will be pushed by bulldozer to the edge of existing road base, this will then be loaded onto lorries for carting offsite.

“In normal circumstances material imported to the site under a CL:AIRE MMP (Contaminated Land: Applications in Real Environments management plan) is not eligible to reuse on another project, however every effort is going to be made to avoid needing to send to landfill and talks will be undertaken with CL:AIRE and the environment agency to hopefully come to a positive conclusion.

“Failing this all muck will be carted offsite and disposed of responsibly.”

The application is also looking to lower the ‘ski slope’ road base down to the subbase with material removed by excavator and loaded onto lorries to head to an aggregate company for recycling.

The firm also says it aims to ‘reduce vibration and noise’ generated by using a hydraulic breaker to reduce the vibration and noise generated.

The document also looks to remove kerbs and kerb beams with material also being loaded and removed from the site to be crushed before being returned to the estate for reuse once building works resume.

A spokesman for Allison Homes said: “Following discussions with South Holland District

Councilofficers,

Allison Homes has submitted a discharge of conditions application with regards to our Moulton Chapel development.

“The application includes details of proposed site and road levels which we believe are in accordance with the aspirations of the council and consultees.

“Consultees, neighbours and other stakeholders will be notified of the application and invited to comment.

“The application will be determined in line with the council’s standard processes.

“The appeals submitted previously are currently with the Planning Inspectorate for consideration and determination.”

An application to retain the current site levels was thrown out in February this year by planners. Objections had been raised by villagers.