WHEN a group of Forest Town residents stage a protest outside Mansfield Civic Centre next week over plans for two housing developments in Forest Town, they will be highlighting an issue of growing concern across the District.
'Garden-grabbing' is now big business. New homes are springing up all over the place as residents and developers cash in on a planning loophole that local authorities are currently unable to block.
But blocked it has to be if serious and irreversi
ble damage is not to done as a direct result of crazy Government policy that classifies gardens as 'brownfield' sites.
Even the smallest green spaces are now at risk, and locally there are a number of examples of high density developments being shoe-horned between existing properties with, it appears, little or no account taken of the loss of amenity and privacy.
These pockets of green space prevent areas from becoming just one enormous housing estate. They are vital havens for urban wildlife, and because gardens soak up rainwater, they help to reduce the risk of flooding.
Another little known fact that has been highlighted by the 'garden-grabbing' controversy is that anyone can apply for permission to build on a piece of land, regardless of whether or not they happen to own it.
Our story last week about the stress this is causing a retired couple in Forest Town demonstrates all too clearly how unacceptable this situation is.
An urgent reassessment of these planning issues is surely overdue.
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