Blyth residents angry as construction of five homes starts on floodplains despite objections

Residents in a Bassetlaw village are angry that five new homes are being built despite concerns over flooding and road safety.
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Construction has begun on five new Homes in Blyth after Bassetlaw District Council approved planning permission despite objections concerning flooding and road safety.

The plan, submitted by Woodsett Homes, will see properties built on land marked as an area for residential development in the Blyth Neighbourhood Plan, to the rear of Calella 61 Retford Road.

But residents fear the construction of the homes will increase the possibility of more flooding in the future as the site falls in the River Ryton catchment area.

Group of residents are protesting against 5 houses being built on land that frequently floods. Pictured is Vincent Dawson in his gardenGroup of residents are protesting against 5 houses being built on land that frequently floods. Pictured is Vincent Dawson in his garden
Group of residents are protesting against 5 houses being built on land that frequently floods. Pictured is Vincent Dawson in his garden
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Vincent Dawson, who has lived with his partner on Retford Road for 20 years, has seen the area flood several times and on one occasion “cows have had to be taken off land.”

He said: “Just down the road, where the barn conversions are, last year they had ducks on the back of the garden, that's how bad it is.

“I think the only thing we can do now is stop them granting all these silly planning permissions in this village.”

Five large houses are under construction after an application for 13 dwellings was rejected in July 2020.Five large houses are under construction after an application for 13 dwellings was rejected in July 2020.
Five large houses are under construction after an application for 13 dwellings was rejected in July 2020.

Another neighbouring resident said: “We've just been completely steamrollered with it. They [Bassetlaw District Council] haven't understood the flooding issue.

“All the residents around the site have objected but we've not been listened to at all

“Why should the council take a financial risk of building these houses that have got so many complications with flooding that already puts so many of the houses at risk?”

A previous application for 13 homes on the site was rejected in July 2020 over flooding concerns.

The council’s planning committee found the applicant had submitted insufficient detail to “demonstrate that the flood risk can be satisfactorily addressed and would not increase the flood risk elsewhere.”

The previous application was also refused for not meeting the minimum amenity requirements and for going against the neighbourhood plan which allocated the site for residential development of ‘up to three dwellings’.

However, ‘up to three dwellings’ has now been removed from the neighbourhood plan following a referendum, and as part of the refreshed application, Woodsett Homes applied to build five houses.

The five builds will be two-storey and include two four-bedroom houses with single built-in garages, and three five-bedroom houses with detached double garages.

There will also be a new private drive for access to the properties built.

A total of 11 objections were formally submitted against this latest application.

All nearby houses are recognised to be at ‘medium risk’ of surface water flooding and residents are concerned that any additional ground covered by the buildings and tarmac areas will increase the lack of absorption and flooding.

The applicant submitted a detailed flood risk assessment and the Environment Agency and Nottinghamshire County Council raised no concerns.

The proposed new builds will raise land levels to the boundary of the recognised flood zones.

Local district councillor, Jack Bowker, and county councillor Sheila Place spoke in objection to the plan at a planning meeting on May 26 2021, on the grounds of flooding, traffic, and road safety.

It is felt increased traffic could compromise safety with an access point close to the entrance of St Mary and St Martin’s Primary School on Retford Road.

The planning committee found the increase in the number of vehicles did not cause an increased safety risk.

Leeven Fleet, speaking on behalf of Woodsett Homes, said the site was formally recognised in the neighborhood plan as an area for development, and county council had assessed traffic and the access point and found the development was ‘safe and acceptable’.

Beverley Alderton-Sambrook, head of regeneration at Bassetlaw District Council, said: “Public consultation is an essential part of the planning process and when determining a planning application, all representations are taken into account and considered, including the views of residents and statutory consultees."

She added that a number of flood mitigation measures had been imposed on planning permission, and there were “no material planning grounds” that the planning committee saw fit to refuse the application.