Residents urged to consider massive housing plans near Worksop

Waystone has submitted a planning application to Bolsover Council seeking permission for possible 24-hectare, mixed development of employment land with about 1,800 residential dwellings and other community and commercial facilities called Clowne Garden Village.

The application for the outskirts of the historic mining community progressed to a planning committee in June 2018, but has remained undetermned and the council is currently considering updated information from Waystone, submitted last month.

A number of residents from Clowne and nearby Barlborough have raised concerns about the plans to develop land north of Clowne including part of the village centre off Hickinwood Lane.

These include the possible impact on highways, drainage, flooding, and existing services such as schools and healthcare, and the potential loss of countryside and the impact on wildlife.

Dee Dell, of Barlborough, said: “Locals agree housing is needed, but should be affordable and built on properly cleaned-up brownfield sites. This farmland is the wrong place for more factories, a hotel and restaurant, all of which the developer wants to build.

“The sewage system would require a massive upgrade, and there is no guarantee of adequate drinking water supply.

“The houses planned would be unaffordable for locals, so the community-feel would be destroyed, as buyers would have no links to the existing village. The huge estate would just be a dormitory for M1 commuters, encouraging ever more car use, while local services like schools and GPs’ lists are already full to overflowing.”

She also fears the development may cause serious flooding to existing homes below it and pollution to streams that are currently clean.

The plans have previously also included suggestions for a possible retirement village, a neighbourhood centre, a hotel, a restaurant, health and care provision and support for educational and recreational use with a green infrastructure.

Both Waystone and the council have already been consulting with residents in Clowne and Barlborough, as well as with a large number of organisations including National England, the Coal Authority, the Environment Agency, Highways England, Yorkshire Water, Derbyshire County Council and others.

During initial proposals Waystone acknowledged some opposition, but also pointed out a good number of people were supportive and positive about the plans and welcomed the potential for economic growth, jobs and facilities.

Mrs Dell said: “If allowed, this would destroy Green Belt land, and savage rare animals, birds and flowers. Desperate traffic queues would result all the way to M1 Junction 30, and local schools could not cope.”

The development had been put on hold while the Treble Bob roundabout, at Barlborough, has been subject to considered improvements and discussions with the highways authority.

Two public community events were recently organised in relation to the planning application for the Clowne Garden Village while the application is still out for public re-consultation.

Barlborough Parish Council hosted an event at the Village Hall, on High Street, Barlborough, on May 30, with Clowne Parish Council hosting one the following day at Clowne Community Centre, Recreation Close.

For more details, see publicaccess.bolsover.gov.uk/online-applications/ and search for planning reference 17/00640/OUT