New homes to be built for affluent area of Mansfield?

A planning application has been submitted to build on the 9.24 hectare plot of land which forms part of High Oakham House, High Oakham Lane.

The land contains a farmhouse, cottage outbuildings and surrounding paddocks and perimeter woodland.

The planned site is positioned at the end of High Oakham Drive.

The applicant, Oakham Homes, is proposing to convert the farmhouse, cottage and outbuildings to form six homes – three more than at present –and also build an additional 22 homes.

According to a statement prepared on behalf of the applicant, Oakham Homes is seeking to build a “high-quality” development and environment.

They insist the development will be a “robust, yet well-integrated scheme to the locality”, and could create opportunities for people to self build.

Oakham Homes accepts the higher density of homes may not fit with the traditional character of the area where there are just handful of expensive properties.

With most set in their grounds, a study shows the average house prices on the private lane tops £681,000.

Only Littlewood Lane has more expensive average house prices in Mansfield.

However, Oakham Homes says “normal” density for homes under planning guidance is 30 dwellings per hectare.

This development would see 28 dwellings across a little more than six hectares, with three hectares of the land remaining as woodland.

Oakham Homes has not specified the number of bedrooms each of the new-build homes will have, although examples set out in the firm’s planning statement suggest they could be larger, detached properties.

It proposes that High Oakham Drive will remain the only access point to the site, but the single-lane track will be improved.

The applicant says it has held extensive talks with planning officers at Mansfield District Council and highways officers at Nottinghamshire County Council, and says talks are ongoing with nearby residents.