Plans unveiled for 42 houses to be built on grassland in Ashfield village

Ashfield District Council has received an application for outline planning permission for a wedge-shaped piece of land between 191 and 243, Nottingham Road in the village.

A total of 42 homes would be built, comprising 13 two-bedroom properties, 24 three-bedroom and five four-bedroom. They would be a mix of detached, semi-detached and a terrace block, and would be made available on the open market

A new access road would be created from Nottingham Road, while 84 car parking spaces would be provided.

The applicant is Stones and Sankey Developments Ltd, a building projects company based in Selston. Its sole director is 62-year-old Mark Stones, who lives in the village.

Mr Stones's agent is David Brotherhood, of the Ilkeston-based firm, Paul Gaughan Building Developments Ltd, which has submitted numerous planning statements to accompany the application.

The site spans almost 14,000 square metres, and the statements say: “It is currently used for the ad-hoc keeping and grazing of horses and comprises poor-quality grassland.

"It has no agricultural value, and there is no record of the site being in agricultural use due to its poor condition.

"But it is in a highly sustainable location, with several shops and services within walking distance.

"The site is also within walking distance of several employment opportunities, and there are regular bus services within 300 metres.”

The planning papers stress the site is already within a built-up part of Selston and feel the proposal would “provide much-needed local housing”.

It would also create jobs during the construction work, as well as “business opportunities for local suppliers and hire companies”.

"The proposal would provide fresh and well-designed dwellings that would contribute positively to the visual appearance of a site that lies currently undeveloped,” the papers add.

Gaining planning permission might not be straightforward for Stones and Sankey because a statement by Paul Gaughan admits that the council’s planning officers have already expressed concern during a pre-application consultation.

The officers pointed out there have been a colliery, mine workings and landfill sites within the area in the past, and that “some of the site falls within an identified development-high-risk area”.

Their conclusion was: “It is considered that there are a number of concerns with developing this site, which could also represent an inappropriate intrusion into an undeveloped open area and local wildlife site.”

However, Paul Gaughan has commissioned a contaminated-land assessment and a coal-mining report, both of which determine that the risks involved with the development would be low or very low.

Similarly, there was no risk of flooding, even though a small watercourse ran through the site.

With regard to wildlife, an ecological report recommended that surveys be carried out to assess any impact the housing development might have on bats, water voles and otters in the area.

The council’s planning officers are now considering the scheme and have set a deadline date of Tuesday, November 11 to make a decision or recommendation.

Interested Selston residents can post their views about the plan on the council’s website.

Meanwhile, a project for two dwellings on land at 69 Portland Road, Selston has taken a step forward, with the applicant seeking approval for access, appearance, landscaping, layout and scale.

THE details of many planning applications can be found in public notices advertised by local and regional newspapers. To catch up on all the latest public notices, go to https://publicnoticeportal.uk/