Lincoln MP, Karl McCartney, has continually raised concerns about the Labour-run Lincoln City Council’s development plans for Swanpool (officially known as Western Growth Corridor ) to primarily create a huge new housing development. He opposed Labour’s new plans, in their current form, to create a 3,200-home development alongside a range of other new developments. Despite these concerns and those of a large number of local residents, the Labour-run council voted to give itself planning permission on 12 January 2022.
Immediately after the vote, Karl stated: “Nobody is against the development, they just want to see it done in the best way possible.
“For residents in that area of Lincoln, they want to see the congestion eased not made worse. They want to see traffic flowing. What they do not want to see is 3,200 houses or even the first 300 or 600 or 700 or 1000, increasing the congestion that everybody is subjected to already.”
Karl, as did the County Council, wrote to the Government asking them to intervene (known as “calling in”) on the application and that the decision should be made by the Government. On considering this, the Government sadly said that it would not intervene.
In response, Karl said: “It will come as no surprise that I am disappointed with the Secretary of State's decision not to "call-in" the Western Growth Corridor Planning application.
"A significant amount of local residents in Birchwood, Hartsholme, Boultham and Skellingthorpe will also be disappointed by this.
"However, we must now accept the decision by the Labour-run City of Lincoln Council. I am sure the Western Growth Corridor will now progress in earnest - indeed, Councillor Neil Murray confirmed at Tuesday's City Council Full Council meeting that he expects works to commence this year.
"I understand this will be a disappointment for those opposed to the development.
“As I said previously, if Labour‘s promises on delivering additional transport and other infrastructure are not delivered, and even if they are, but they are not a success – then the responsibility for this is with Lincoln’s Labour Party. It will be theirs and theirs alone - and the good people of our wonderful City of Lincoln should never forgive them.”
