Plans for park homes on Doncaster field ‘highly vulnerable’ to flooding thrown out
The applicants, WPS Developments, sought to change the site, off of South End, Thorne, from agricultural use to residential use and put in place 31 lodges, or park homes, and a social hub.
Plans to build park homes on a Doncaster field deemed “highly vulnerable” to flooding have been thrown out by councillors.
The applicants, WPS Developments, sought to change the site, off of South End, Thorne, from agricultural use to residential use and put in place 31 lodges, or park homes, and a social hub.
City of Doncaster Councillors sitting on the authority’s planning committee were not convinced by the applicant’s assertion that the flood zone maps were “inaccurate” and the Environment Agency’s objections were therefore flawed.
Lea Favill, who spoke in support of the application, told members that he “would be absolutely amazed if this site floods”.
He said: “Flood maps recently changed and it’s changed to the point where it looks very unrealistic, particularly when you look at the surrounding areas.
“It draws you to the east where the canal is and also the marina, both of these areas are shown as flood zone one.”
Flood zone one is land that has a low probability of flooding, whereas flood zone three, which makes up the other half of the site and would have had the majority of the planned park homes, indicates a higher probability of flooding.
“If you were to take the maps at their word, you could theoretically build a house inside the marina,” Mr Favill said.
However, following the arguments from the applicants, the council’s planning development manager, Emma Keefe, told councillors that coulds, woulds and probablys, were not suitable evidence to override the Environment Agency.
Councillors refused planning permission for the site by a majority vote.