Planning consent granted for 485 homes in Mansfield area

Harworth Group plc, land regeneration and property investment specialist, has secured outline planning consents on residential land at Bilsthorpe and Market Warsop.

At Market Warsop outline consent was granted for 400 residential plots on a 31.2-acre site owned by The Trustees of the Warsop Estate, which has been secured as part of a Planning Promotion Agreement signed with the landowner.

The consent provides for 400 new homes, a mix of two, three and four bed properties including bungalows, alongside associated highways works, public open space and landscaping.

Consent for 85 residential plots was granted at Harworth’s 9.54-acre Bilsthorpe site, alongside 3,000 sq ft of new commercial space for retail development.

Less than a mile from Harworth’s existing Bilsthorpe Business Park, the single phase of residential land will be marketed for sale to housebuilders in late 2018.

Tim Love, Director of Strategic Land at Harworth Group plc, said: “We are pleased that we’ve been able to secure consents on both schemes, following over two years of work to bring these applications forward. Securing a consent via our first Planning Promotion Agreement demonstrates that our approach and skill in securing planning consent on our own land can be readily transferred to land owned by third parties to provide a further source of income to the Harworth Group business.”

Stuart Ashton, Head of Planning at Harworth Group plc, added:“Nottinghamshire is an important market for the business, with these two successful planning applications following receipt of planning consent for 800 homes at Thoresby last October. We will now push forward with preparing land for redevelopment at both Thoresby and Bilsthorpe, as we continue to play a role in the provision the residential land required to help meet the ongoing shortfall of affordably-priced new homes in the region.”

The developer met fierce opposition from many residents due to concerns about increased traffic and parking, and flooding, as well as the site’s proximity to a site of special scientific interest.

Speaking duirng the consultation period which ended in December, Campaigner Debra Barlow, one of the founding members of Let Warsop Speak said: “We’re not opposed to new homes being built but not on such a large scale. A smaller development, and more affordable housing, would be preferable.

“The area just can’t cope with 400 more homes, that’s approximately 1,000 more people using the infrastructure and services. There is a shortage of GPs, which has not been properly addressed.”