Petrol station will be bulldozed to make way for apartment complex

The application to remove the filling station on Clipstone Road West, Forest Town, and build 14 two-bedroom flats divided the committee at the recent planning meeting.

The building, opposite the New Mill Lane junction, would also be three-storeys high.

Access would be from Clipstone Road West and up to 24 parking spaces would be provided within the complex, prompting congestion concerns from 10 nearby residents.

Committee members visited the site hours before it was discussed at the meeting and before being put to the vote.

Five committee members voted in favour of the plans, with four opposing, meaning it was approved.

Councillor Martin Wright described the proposed building as ‘monolithic’, adding: “It’s a storey too far, even the pub nearby would be dwarfed by this.”

Coun Nick Bennett said: “This one seems to be in the wrong place, it’s a very, very busy junction.

“But my worry is that if something is not done with the petrol station, it would be closed and left to become derelict.”

Mansfield activist Shlomo Dowen addressed the council on behalf of the Forest Town Community Council.

He added: “It’s impossible to conclude that traffic impact would be acceptable in this instance.

“It would stick out like a sore thumb and is out of character with the neighbourhood.”