Derbyshire planners move closer to finalising massive Clowne housing scheme

Bolsover District Council’s planning committee previously approved Waystone Ltd’s outline planning application at a meeting in September, last year, subject to financial infrastructure contributions for the scheme’s plans for 1,800 new homes with 24 hectares of greenfield land for employment, community and commercial development near Clowne and Barlborough.

And following a further meeting on May 14 the committee voted by a majority to approve details of a draft agreement of the developer’s Section 106 financial contributions worth millions of pounds towards infrastructure prior to an agreement and to accept that changes to the National Planning Policy Framework and the validity of an ageing viability appraisal will not affect granting planning permission.

Council development manager Chris Whitmore told the meeting: “The purpose of this report is: to update members on the progress that has been made since that resolution in respect of the Section 106 agreement; to update members on the materiality of changes to the National Planning Policy Framework – changes that were made in December 2024; to update them on the validity of the viability… work that was undertaken; and also just to set out our duties under the environmental impact assessment regulations.

“We are not proposing to change any of the terms of the 106. There is no significant deviation or no deviation at all in terms of what was in the officer’s recommendations to the planning committee in respect of this item on development contributions.”

Many hundreds of residents and campaigners have raised objections to the housing scheme, north of Clowne, amid fears it will lead to overcrowding, place a strain on highways, health services and education, create drainage and flooding problems and affect the countryside and wildlife with the loss of some Green Belt land.

But after the Secretary of State decided in February not to call in the application for further consideration and to leave its determination with the district council, officers recommended draft details concerning the developer’s financial contributions towards the infrastructure be approved allowing for any minor amendments to finally confirm the overall planning permission.

The council has stressed that changes in a revised NPPF in December, 2024, concerning decision making and development management are not considered to materially impact on the decision of the planning committee.

And the council’s viability expert has advised that findings from the August 2, 2024, viability assessment for the scheme can still be relied upon if an agreed position is reached on the S106 obligations by the end of May, 2025, or soon afterwards.

The proposed S106 contributions include: The delivery of a new primary school by the applicant or a full contribution of £9,500,000 to Derbyshire Council’s education authority for the delivery of a new primary school, and also a Secondary School Contribution of £8,258,879; A new Treble Bob roundabout scheme; An M1 Junction 30 scheme and a travel plan; And that ten per cent of the new properties will be affordable housing.

Other contributions include a £1,800,000 contribution towards the NHS Integrated Care Board to improve health care facilities, £1,463,597 towards helping young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities, and a payment of £126,840 towards local library stocks and capacity.

Planning committee member, Coun Rob Hiney-Saunders, argued the council should be looking at the scheme’s financial viability again but Mr Whitmore said the council’s financial advisor has stated the findings in the council’s report are robust and if an S106 agreement can be reached by around the end of May with a review mechanism in place the council’s assessment can still be relied upon.

Coun Hiney-Saunders, who oversees the Clowne East ward, also suggested there was a lower priority being given towards SEND S106 contributions but a council officer stated that an equality review has been carried out including the impact on SEND and due regard was taken on this issue with an assessment fulfilling the council’s legal duty.

The planning committee voted by a majority of four-to-one in favour – with a sole objection from Coun Hiney-Saunders – to approve provisions in the draft S106 agreement and that authority be given to the Assistant Director of Planning or the Development Management and Land Charges Manager to make any minor amendments.

It also noted that the validity of the viability appraisal work and changes to the NPPF do not materially impact on the resolution to grant planning permission and it approved a decision relating to the environmental effects that after an S106 agreement is reached the public will be informed of the scheme’s granted planning permission.

The housing scheme at a site which includes part of Clowne village centre off Hickinwood Lane, also features plans for green infrastructure, educational and recreational uses, a retirement village, a neighbourhood centre, a hotel, restaurant, health and care provision, leisure uses, and demolition work at Station Road Industrial Estate.

During the planning process, a consultation attracted at least 1,400 comments and the Clowne Garden Village Action Group’s membership grew to over 2,000 people sharing opposition to the scheme and its online and paper petitions attracted over 6,000 signatures from residents in Clowne and Barlborough opposed to the plans.

But Derbyshire County Council’s highways authority and Highways England raised no objections to the scheme, and the county council’s flood team, the Environment Agency, the Coal Authority, Derbyshire Wildlife Trust and Yorkshire Water also raised no objections.

Developer Waystone has claimed there is support for the scheme in terms of the potential for economic growth, facilities and jobs and that it will also support the need for housing and bring highway improvements.