Nottingham CC letter of objection

Text of letter of objection sent by Nottingham City Council to Broxtowe Council on 11th April 2012:

Dear Emma

Outline application to construct 139 dwellings including details of access, appearance, layout and scale with landscaping reserved for future consideration

Land Adj To Hempshill Hall Low Wood Road 12/00123/OUT

Thank you for providing Nottingham City Council with the opportunity to comment on the above application for Outline Planning Permission, which adjoins the administrative boundary of the city. Strong Objection is raised to this application.

It is noted that the application site is designated in the Broxtowe Local Plan as a Protected Open Area (Policy E12d) and a Site of Importance for Nature Conservation (Policy E16).

The City Council values the existing landscape amenity and openness of the site on this major approach route into the City and considers that the proposed development would be harmful to this amenity, contrary to Policy E12d of Broxtowe Local Plan.

The proposed development would entail the loss of a significant area of SINC. Policy E16 of the Broxtowe Local Plan advises that planning permission will not be granted for development on or adjoining local nature reserves or SINC’s, which would damage their interest, unless there are special reasons which outweigh the recognised value of the sites. The Ecological Assessment submitted with the application concludes that the site is of ‘low ecological value’. Broxtowe Borough Council should satisfy itself that the information and conclusions reached provides an appropriate assessment of the site, with reference to the baseline information that will have influenced the original designation.

If the land is to be developed then the applicant should be required to safeguard a route for a future tram extension, in accordance with Policy T6 of the Broxtowe Local Plan, as this land is critical in allowing a tram corridor west of Phoenix Park. This approach would also accord with paragraph 41 of the National Planning Policy Framework. It would be feasible to run the tramway on-street along a re-aligned spine road if a 2 metre strip is safeguarded alongside the road.  There is no viable alternative route from Phoenix Park Tramstop towards Kimberley and Eastwood that would not require demolition of existing property.  An alignment has been safeguarded, from the existing tramstop to the edge of the proposed development site, as part of a Section 106 Agreement.  Further to this, a route across the proposed development site is the only option identified for extending NET to the west in a report prepared by consultants WS Atkins and MVA in 2001.  A route to Kimberley has also been included as a possible future extension as part of the new NET Phase Two concession which has recently been entered into with Tramlink Nottingham.

On a related matter, it is noted that a significant amount of development is proposed around the Nuthall Roundabout, including the allocated Nottingham Business Park in Nottingham City and the application for a sports village in Broxtowe. It may be worth a dialogue between Broxtowe Borough Council , Nottingham City Council and Nottinghamshire County Council (the Highway Authority) on the best approach to mitigating the impact of development on the road network in this vicinity. Please contact me if you think this is appropriate.

Yours sincerely,

 

Matt Gregory

Policy and Research Manager

Direct line (: 0115 8763981