Opponents unhappy as Mansfield Council approves plans for 34 affordable homes
A proposal for 34 affordable homes to be built on disused land in Mansfield has been given the go-ahead.
But opponents of the plans were left unhappy, claiming they had been denied the chance speak at the meeting,
The plan, submitted by Bowsall Developments Ltd and Futures Homescape Ltd, were discussed at a meeting of the council’s planning committee on January 19.
The site, which is located off Balmoral Drive on the north-west side of the town, has been subject to a number of planning applications in the past.
A number of members of the public attended the meeting.
After representatives from the two developers, councillors made no comments and asked no questions and voted through the plans unanimously.
But as meeting chairman Coun Andy Wetton (Lab) confirmed the granting of the application, there was an interruption from a member of the public, who said: “It should be a point of order, Mr chairman, that there was nobody representing the community that was against the proposal.
“To have two people that are for the proposal…”
He was then cut off by the chairman, who said: “You can apply to speak.”
But another man responded: “We couldn’t because two people were already going to speak.”
The first man then said: “I’m really disappointed with what’s gone off today, I really am and I’ve been a Labour lad all my life.”
The homes, which will all be two- or three-bedroom with at least one parking space each, will be situated on land previously occupied by Balmoral Lodge Nursing Home.
There were six public objections online, but none from statutory consultees such as the Environment Agency or Nottinghamshire Police.
A separate application for 35 homes on the site, for 35 homes was granted in October 2024.
But construction never started and those plans will now be superseded by the new ones.
Speaking at the meeting, Beverley Moss, of agents Hourigan Planning, said: “It is well known that we are in the midst of a new housing crisis.
“This development will sit square within the Government’s aspirations to increase the delivery of affordable homes.”
The developers will contribute £32,500 towards the public open space off Burlington Drive and the allotments on Shaftesbury Avenue.
As the members of the public left, Coun Whetton remarked: “Well we weren’t expecting that.”