Residents fight to stop houses being built on Skegby green space

New homes which are currently being built by Rippon Homes on land off Mansfield Road, Skegby were originally positioned around a public green space.

However the Mansfield based company has now put a planning application to Ashfield District Council asking to build four additional houses on the green space.

Homes on sale on the new estate start at £142,500 and were allowed planning permission with "smaller gardens than usual" because of the green space.

Robert Jordan, 71, is objecting to the plans - claiming the original plans should only be amended by a high court ruling as that is what he was told in a previous fight against the development.

Mr Jordan who lives in a house adjacent to the new estate on Pleasley Road, lost a fight against the company to have a fence close to his grandchildren's bedroom window, blocking their light .

Toby and Geneva Jordan, 20 and 21 respectively, were both born with the condition Microcephaly, meaning they cannot walk, talk, or communicate in any way, and without the his ability to see shades of light and dark,Toby would be completely blind.

Mr Jordan who is their legal guardian has now said a fence has been put up outside of their bedrooms - he also has to ask permission to wash the windows as Rippon Homes still owns the land.

He also appealed to Government planning inspectors which came to the site on two occasions.

He said: "Everyone has told me plot 17, adjacent to their windows, could not be removed from five meters outside our bedroom windows because the inspector had approved it, only a high court ruling can change it.

"The fence has blocked loads of light out - house is only half up and its already getting dark.

"Other residents are going mad - everyone fed up of the dust from the site.

"Saying that the ads on the site are brilliant with us.

"If this new plan goes ahead we can never again trust the council."

READ THE ORIGINAL STORY HERE

During a planning committee meeting at the council in April where the council suggested moving the green space to the land adjacent Mr Jordan's windows a planning officer said the green space could not be moved as it was an 'intrinsic part of the design' and that the gardens on the houses with planning permission on the plot were too small.

Robert Mitchell, Chief Executive of the council said: "I can confirm that a planning application has been submitted to the council for four further dwellings.

"The council cannot stop the submission of planning applications. Once received the council is duty bound to assess any application on its planning merits.

"Amongst the consideration of the application will be the contribution that the green space plays to the wider site area.

"The planning officer did say at the planning committee that this green space formed an intrinsic part of the design. She did make reference to the inspectors decision and the rationale that had allowed smaller gardens than usual in part due to the green space available at the centre of the development.

"This will be a consideration in the assessment of this planning application as will all other matters raised through the consultation process before any view is finally taken on the planning application."

A decision on the houses will be not be decided to till the end of the month and might be made without the planning committee.

Ian Dyke, Managing Director for Rippon Homes said: .“As part of the agreed section 106 planning agreement at our Manor Croft development, it is required we contribute towards an off-site public open space with no need for an on-site area.

“Before construction began each phase of the development was reassessed, with the local authority reviewing the impact of additional homes and Manor Croft providing the area with much needed homes.

“Each private garden on site has been approved by the planning authority, complying with the space standards provided meaning that no garden is smaller than usual.”