Planning Matters
Wilfrid’s Square
Yet again more revised plans were submitted during September for the planning application regarding the proposal for a three-storey building comprising four retail units and eight residential flats next to the bus stop and outside The CORE Centre on the Square.
This is the fourth revision and still it is difficult to see any differences from previous plans (6 trees instead of 4 maybe!) with no attention for the Conservation Area setting, parking and various other objections raised when the proposal was originally submitted in April.
Neighbourhood Plan
The Public Examination of Calverton’s Neighbourhood Plan was held a couple of months ago. The Independent Examiner’s report has now been published. Whilst most of the plan has been accepted in its original form, the Examiner has recommended that a few significant changes are made before it is put to village residents in a referendum.
The Examiner was of the opinion that the Neighbourhood Plan’s Southern Ridge Area should be deleted as a policy because it would constrain the options open to Gedling Borough Council for new housing sites in their emerging local plan. The Examiner also considered that the Southern Ridge Area already had protection in planning policy terms, due to its green belt status and the presence of Scheduled Ancient Monuments.
Our feeling is that the Inspector has not fully appreciated our local circumstances – particularly with respect to Gedling’s lamentable track record when it comes to protecting the most valued aspects of Calverton’s historic landscape. Neighbourhood Plans ostensibly provide residents with the opportunity to direct the future growth of their built environment – yet our Neighbourhood Plan must be modified to remove most of the protection it sought for valued green spaces and the historic environment. Unfortunately, the only option available to us if we wish to fight for a Neighbourhood Plan that is an honest reflection of local opinion would be a legal challenge. The logistical and cost implications of such a course of action could be considerable and will have to be given very careful consideration.
So, the battle for Calverton’s heritage continues – many will, no doubt, be wondering whether it is a war that can ever be won.
Calverton Colliery remembered 80 years on
Water colour by Jellicoe Dated 1939″
(from a small private collection of colliery memorabilia)
Much of the original design for the colliery buildings was carried out during the 1930s by the world famous landscape architect Sir Geoffrey Jellicoe who was renowned for his work to integrate industrial structures into a rural landscape.
As well as the mine buildings Jellicoe produced a plan for colliery housing, including a stream and open spaces, which would have been built in the area where the Brambles now is. However the only houses actually erected at the time were on Hollinwood Lane and North Green, being described by Pevsner in his series of books about the Buildings of England as “good colliery housing…….a well-designed group of modern brick buildings, the detail reminiscent of Holland”.
In brief
- The Society has several copies of the latest edition of the glossy magazine “E. Midlands History and Heritage” to give away. Articles include “Young criminals on the march through the E Midlands” about the origins of Lowdham Borstal in the 1930s.”Entertaining the Community: hospital fundraising before the NHS” examples from Newark and Mansfield. Please get in touch if you would like a copy (first come, first served!)
- The planning application to GBC for change of use from light industrial use at Park House, Park Road Business Area, to a Gymnastics Club with fitness rooms and viewing gallery upstairs has been given conditional permission particularly with regard to parking facilities.
- A previous planning application to erect a new dwelling behind the Fish Shop on Main Street which was rejected by GBC has had an appeal dismissed on the grounds of over intensive development.
- Advanced notice: Look out for details of an illustrated talk “A History of the Calverton Area” coming soon
For more information, contact: Chris Peck, Secretary, Calverton Preservation & History Society, 0115 9654843 or pressoc@ntlworld.com
Reproduced with permission from the October 2017 edition of the Calverton Echo: http://www.calvertonecho.com/index.html
