How Eco-Friendly Homes Built Using Hemp Could Have Changed Immingham's Landscape

Key Highlights :

1. The proposed homes were refused as they were outside of the local plan area for development.

2. The key issue was the siting of the homes outside of the local plan area, when the council already had a housing supply.

3. The applicant's impassioned plea made clear the highly sustainable nature of the building materials.

4. The homes would have been made of hempcrete, a biocomposite, zero carbon material including hemp.

5. The material would insulate so well even in winter with no heating on it would keep the bungalows at 19°C.

6. The homes were proposed for bungalows and would have been spaced out.

7. Only exceptional circumstances allowed for homes in such open countryside areas.

8. It was not viewed as suitable for pedestrianised traffic and would urbanise the gap between Habrough and Immingham.

9. There was the Viking carbon capture pipeline, which will run through the site.

10. Applicant Victoria Midgley, who co-runs Greentech Homes Ltd, made her case for the development.

11. She said there was sporadic housing in the area already and the bungalows would be affordable.

12. The buildings would be made of hempcrete, a biocomposite, zero carbon material including hemp.

13. The material would insulate so well even in winter with no heating on it would keep the bungalows at 19°C.

14. The homes were proposed for bungalows and would have been spaced out.

15. Only exceptional circumstances allowed for homes in such open countryside areas.

16. It was not viewed as suitable for pedestrianised traffic and would urbanise the gap between Habrough and Immingham.

17. There was the Viking carbon capture pipeline, which will run through the site.

18. Applicant Victoria Midgley, who co-runs Greentech Homes Ltd, made her case for the development.

19. She said there was sporadic housing in the area already and the bungalows would be affordable.

20. The buildings would be made of hempcrete, a biocomposite, zero carbon material including hemp.

21. The material would insulate so well even in winter with no heating on it would keep the bungalows at 19°C.

22. The homes were proposed for bungalows and would have been spaced out.

23. Only exceptional circumstances allowed for homes in such open countryside areas.

24. It was not viewed as suitable for pedestrianised traffic and would urbanise the gap between Habrough and Immingham.

25. There was the Viking carbon capture pipeline, which will run through the site.

26. Applicant Victoria Midgley, who co-runs Greentech Homes Ltd, made her

     Proposed eco-friendly homes built using material made from the hemp plant have been refused as they were outside Immingham's development boundary. The application was for seven homes on open, former agricultural land off Habrough Road, between Immingham and Habrough. Despite an impassioned plea from the applicant, the North East Lincolnshire Council's planning committee denied the application due to its siting outside of the local plan, its lack of a designated bus stop, and the potential for complicating a carbon capture and storage pipeline.

     The homes proposed were bungalows and would have been spaced out. The applicant, Victoria Midgley, co-runs Greentech Homes Ltd, and made her case for the development. She highlighted the sporadic housing in the area already and the bungalows would be affordable. Moreover, the homes would be beautiful and built with sustainable materials. These materials included hempcrete, a biocomposite, zero carbon material including hemp. The material would insulate so well that even in winter with no heating on it would keep the bungalows at 19°C. This material represented housing of the future, as it takes carbon out of the atmosphere.

     In addition to the eco-friendly materials, Mrs Midgley emphasized the intended homes' accessibility for the mobility impaired as a potential exceptional consideration. Her best friend has multiple sclerosis and had been advising on the project for years. She asked councillors to delay for a site visit and offered to only follow through with five of the seven proposed homes in order to avoid conflict with the pipeline.

     Despite Mrs Midgley's passionate speech, the councillors voted to refuse the application. Habrough Road, just by the field where the homes were proposed for, has a speed limit of 40mph all the way between Immingham and Habrough. Cllr Hayden Dawkins said that the council had to stick to the local plan as much as possible, and Cllr Ian Lindley agreed that it was all about location, location, location. Cllr Janet Goodwin called for work with the developer to not lose the project and "show this is a listening council".

     The proposed eco-friendly homes would have been a welcome addition to the Immingham area, as they would have been built with sustainable materials and been accessible for the mobility impaired. The hempcrete material would have taken carbon out of the atmosphere, and the homes would have been affordable. Unfortunately, the planning committee's refusal of the application means that these eco-friendly homes will not be built, and the Immingham landscape will remain unchanged.

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