64-house application at historic town's gateway site faces strong objection from Southwell Town Council
An application to construct 64 homes in a historic town has faced strong opposition from a council.
Southwell Town Council's planning committee has branded the proposal — by Redrow Homes — inappropriate for a gateway location, out of touch with the town and not a sustainable design.
Plans for the site, off Lower Kirklington Road, include market housing with up to five bedrooms, social, affordable or intermediate rent housing and affordable home ownership properties in Redrow's Arts and Crafts inspired style and 167 carparking spaces.
The site is currently used as fields and borders the Southwell Trail wildlife corridor, residential streets and allotments.
Committee chairman David Martin said: "I don't think big, modern five bedroom properties protect the gateway site.
"They have concentrated on a 20th century design, despite this not fitting in with Southwell."
In a report, committee member Peter Scorer said: "The house types are completely alien to the historical vernacular of the area and are more akin to a city suburb."
He also addressed the location being at a gateway site, claiming the proposal did not address the location, nor manage the transition into the built up area as required by Southwell's neighbourhood plan.
Councillors also had concerns about flooding on the site, which the application failed to mitigate. The council said the site has areas of high and medium flood risk, and an issue with sewage flooding from nearby properties not connected to mains sewage.
It was also said that the designs would be overbearing for existing residents on Orchard Close.
David Martin added: "It is a great shame that people do not think about the people there already."
The plans were also critiqued for the lack of sustainable design used.
"There is no solar panels, no mention what kind of heating will be used and if this will be low carbon," added David Martin.
"It is fundamentally not a sustainable design."
There was also concerns over the lack of consideration and support for the town's infrastructure.
The plan for 64 houses puts it one under the 65-house threshold for providing funding for healthcare services.
David Martin said: "There will be no provision for health services and the town's health services are already severely overstretched."
The council also raised concerns about traffic and safety. The proposal would create a new, busy junction on Lower Kirklington Road, within close proximity to multiple others.
Peter Scorer said: "I have reservations about the location of the new access.
"Traffic speeds into town along this road are very high."
Councillors, except those abstaining from the vote, unanimously objected to the application.
