Flood fears over proposed new homes in Southwell

Residents campaigning against plans for 38 low-cost houses and supported-living accommodation for young adults with learning difficulties have called for the development to be postponed until there is more information about flood risks.

Reach Learning Disability and landowner Mr Christopher Holyroyd re-submitted applications for Nottingham Road, Southwell, with amended plans and a flood risk assessment.

They include adding overland drains, three balancing ponds and permeable paving to reduce flood risk.

Southwell Town Council’s planning committee objected to the proposals.

Members said until the neighbouring development on Beckett’s Field was built, the impact of flooding and highways problems would not be clear.

The council first objected to the plans in September over concerns about flooding and road safety.

'This development should be delayed until Beckett's Field is built'

Mr Peter Scorer, committee chairman, said: “The flood assessment appears to have ignored the objections that we had with one minor exception of adding a footpath.

“This development should be delayed until Beckett’s Field is built so we can see the true impact of how the development will be affected by flooding.”

The site is allocated for development by Newark and Sherwood District Council.

Mr Julian Hamilton, a committee member, said: “This is a disastrous site for Southwell.

“It would be interesting to see if this site would have been allocated after the flooding, and I think it would not have been.

“They have got this one very badly wrong.

“We all know it floods as it is, and the homes will only make it worse.”

Reach Learning Disability wants to convert and extend an existing bungalow into two supported-living units with six bedrooms each.

Mr Holyroyd, who donated the bungalow, has applied for 38 low-cost homes, a mix of one, two and three bedrooms.

Not a long-term solution to flooding

Residents of Halloughton Road fear it would increase flooding on their road.

Mr Peter May, a resident and member of Southwell Flood Forum, said the three features outlined by the developers to reduce flooding were problematic.

“They are methods that would work over a small timescale and are not a long-term solution to flooding,” he said.

“Overland drains are not appropriate for large amounts of water falling in a short amount of time and the drains can become blocked.

“The three proposed balancing ponds would be full if the drains didn’t work, meaning they would overflow and cause flooding.”

Halloughton Road resident Mr Bob Spears said: “The amount of water that already runs down Halloughton Road is likely to be exacerbated by the development. It will not help the problems we already have.”

'A considerable impact on traffic'

Mr Spears said the proposals would spoil the iconic view of Southwell, which included the minster and Holy Trinity Church.

“We have three-storey buildings at the highest point and none of the photographs from the developer show how it would look, which has been a key criticism of this site,” he said.

“This is going to have a considerable impact on traffic, which is a considerable worry.

“People in supported living units will want to cross the road to get to the other side and how dangerous is that?”

Southwell Town Council also raised concerns about the visual impact the development would have on the town.

Newark and Sherwood District Council will have the final say on the application.