Dim view on growth
Large-scale housing developments could spoil historic views of Southwell Minster and ruin the character of the town, it is feared.
A proposal has been put forward for 750 homes, a hotel, community centre and one-third of a town bypass on land to the south of the town, behind the Minster School.
In addition, Nottingham Trent University has put forward a 44-hectare site, capable of holding 1,300 homes, near its Brackenhurst campus.
The sites have been earmarked for potential development in the strategic housing land availability assessment, produced by Newark and Sherwood District Council to help it meet Government housing targets.
The assessment document was discussed by Southwell Town Council on Wednesday.
Its planning committee chairman, Mr Brendan Haigh, said Southwell’s infrastructure would not cope with more housing.
He said: “The proposal for 750 houses would totally alter the character of the town, built in attractive countryside.
“That iconic view, so often used in publications, of the minster seen over cornfields would disappear under a sea of housing and concrete.”
Mr Haigh said if all the sites in the assessment were developed, the number of houses in Southwell would increase by about 50%.
He said: “That is unacceptable and it is not going to happen, but clearly some areas of the town will be developed and we must make sure they are the must suitable and least harmful to the infrastructure.”
The chairman of Southwell Civic Society, Mr Mike Struggles, said the society felt the land proposed by Nottingham Trent University and the site behind Minster School should not be considered.
Mr Struggles said the society had been against the idea of a bypass for many years.
He said: “We feel it is a conflict between town and country and also because it will be damaging to the town. When you are standing in the town you will be able to hear the bypass.”
Mrs Vanessa Johnston, of Crink Lane, said the view of the minster over the fields was considered one of the finest in Nottinghamshire.
She said the town was surrounded by a unique greenbelt that had been preserved through history as it had been part of a deer park, and this would be lost if the land was developed.
Dr Martin Duffy, of Westgate, Southwell, was concerned that the developments could increase the risk of flooding.
A town councillor, Mr Peter Harris, said suggested sites in Upton were important to Southwell because there was a also potential for development along Upton Road.
He said: “I think we’ve got a battle on our hands.”
The council agreed to form a working group responsible for the strategic land availability assessment.
It will discuss the assessment again later this year.
The family behind the development proposal for the land south of Southwell did not attend Wednesday’s meeting.
Speaking on behalf of his family, Mr Bill Butler said they had been told in advance that their proposal, drawn up by Land And Development Consultants Ltd, would not be discussed.
He said: “We were under the impression it wasn’t to be spoken about so we weren’t at the meeting. We were surprised to find out it was discussed.
“We were led to believe it was going to be a discussion about the strategic land availability assessment and they weren’t allowed to discuss any individual sites.”
Mr Butler said because he was not at the meeting he could not comment on the points raised by residents or councillors.
The council clerk, Carol Standish, said the chairman, Mr Graham Ball, had made it clear that councillors were not going to discuss specific applications, however, residents raised the issue of the site behind the Minster School during the meeting.
She said: “The agenda item was about the overall impact of the strategic housing land availability assessment and that was the whole thrust of conversation.
“Residents brought up specifics as a matter of their concerns.
“Ultimately, no decision was made by the councillors on any of the land issues, other than it was important to the council and the planning committee would be looking at the issue.”
