Government pauses Ashfield Council's controversial greenfield housing decision

In an unusual move, Housing Secretary Michael Gove has ordered the council to temporarily pause planning permission.

Mr Gove will now decide whether to “call in” the plan, which means he would remove power from the council and make a decision on it himself.

It is the latest twist to a saga that has also seen one of Mr Gove’s Conservative government colleagues, Ashfield MP Lee Anderson, threatened with legal action.

The saga began when Michael Hollis, who runs a food bank charity, lodged a planning application for outline consent to build eight houses on agricultural land off Silverhill Lane, next to a caravan park.

Mr Hollis is the father of Coun Tim Hollis, council executive lead member for council and social housing.

Nearby residents railed against the plan, claiming the homes would be intrusive and have a negative impact on open countryside, which features ancient trees and attracts wildlife.

They won sympathy from the council’s own planning officers, who said the houses would be “an inappropriate form of development” for the area. It was also in “an unsustainable location” because it was “isolated from facilities and services”.

The officers duly recommended permission be refused when the scheme came before the council’s planning committee, but the committee took the rare step of dismissing the recommendation and deciding in favour of the outline application.

Six Ashfield Independent councillors voted the plan through, led by committee chairman Coun Andy Meakin, alongside Couns Jamie Bell, Samantha Deakin, Arnie Hankin, Rachel Madden and John Smallridge.

Coun Helen-Ann Smith, council deputy leader, voted against, as did Coun Phil Rostance, a Conservative, and Labour’s Coun Lauren Mitchell.

Coun Jason Zadrozny, council leader, is a member of the committee, but was absent from the meeting.

The reason given for rejecting the officers’ recommendation was “the development would not impact on the character of the countryside, the biodiversity of the site or highway safety, and satisfied policies of the Ashfield Local Plan”.

The decision enraged Teversal campaigners and their supporters. Coun Mitchell even tried to table an emergency motion at a full council meeting the next day, but it was not accepted.

The decision to back the plan also aroused suspicions in Mr Anderson, who duly made allegations of wrongdoing in a Facebook post.

When he refused to remove the post, an outraged Mr Hollis instructed lawyers, with a view to launching an action for libel against Mr Anderson.

Next, residents began proceedings to launch a judicial review into the case – and the council has now been officially informed of Mr Gove’s intention to step in.

A council spokesman said: “We are unable to comment on this at this time.”

Meanwhile, the determination of Teversal residents to overturn the planning committee’s decision remains as steadfast as ever.

One of them, Victor Lawley, said: “This has united the whole community. We love this area, and we are fighting for our piece of the countryside.

"We are humbled by all the help and support we are receiving.”