More than 360 homes to be approved in Preston

Preston’s planning committee has been recommended to approve proposals for more than 360 homes in the borough at a meeting later this week, including schemes by Taylor Wimpey and Morris Homes in Cottam.

The largest of the two applications is by Taylor Wimpey for 245 houses at a site bordered by Sandy Lane and Hoyles Lane, and is the second phase of a wider 450-home development of the area.

Taylor Wimpey’s proposals, supported by planner Lichfields, include 81 affordable homes, while the rest are designated as open market sale. These include a mix of two, three, four, and five bed houses, alongside apartments housed in five three-storey blocks.

The original proposals, given outline planning approval in 2013, included three retail units but these have since been omitted to increase the number of homes and to “ensure a greater efficiency of land use”, according to planning documents.

The first phase of the project, including three and four-bed houses, has already completed.

The second proposal due to be discussed at the committee is a reserved matters application by Morris Homes to build 119 homes off The Weald, also in Cottam.

The application was deferred in January to allow for further consideration on the site’s layout, and the development’s proximity to existing homes nearby.

The site, currently used as agricultural land, is allocated for housing under Preston’s local plan and forms part of the wider Cottam Hall strategic site, which has outline permission for up to 1,100 homes over 131 acres.

Morris Homes’ proposals cover plots eight to 10 of the Cottam Hall site, and includes homes of between two and five bedrooms in size. It is also slated to include three areas of affordable housing, which will be terraced and semi-detached homes.

Following January’s deferral, there have been a series of changes including the reconfiguration of the layout of some plots and several increases and decreases in house numbers throughout the development.

The original proposals for the site attracted 80 letters of objection from local residents, who argued the development would “not be in keeping with the character of the existing dwellings and the surrounding area”.

Preston’s planning committee is due to meet on Thursday 8 March.