Newark Advertiser reader letters: How can we save Lowfield Lane?

Protect Newark’s Green Spaces (PNGS) continue to be very concerned about the proposed development of 151 houses on Lowfield Lane in Balderton, to be delivered by Newark and Sherwood District Council’s ‘arms-length’ developer, Arkwood.

We have been fully involved with the planning process and, like many other organisations and members of the public, have submitted formal and informal objections.

There are currently 78 objections lodged against the application.

We believe it may be on the agenda of the planning committee on October 3 but fear only one objecting speaker will be permitted to speak for three minutes at that meeting.

Over 2,000 petitioners were promised a full council debate but only after the application has been considered at planning. If planning approve it, what will be the point of a full council debate unless it can overturn planning approval?

Many objections relate to the high environmental value of this green space and country lane that is teeming with wildlife and rich in biodiversity, cherished as a haven of peace and tranquillity, vital to the well-being of many residents in an already over-developed area.

The developer’s own ecological impact assessment of the development makes the negative outcome on the environment very clear, and Notts Wildlife Trust has submitted powerful and detailed objections on ecological and biodiversity grounds.

Other objections relate to the fact that more new houses are not needed in Balderton which already had a population density at red level in 2021 double that of Newark which has a more comfortable Amber Level rating.

Not only are more new houses not needed but the development will put impossible strain on already over-stretched public services in Balderton.

Significant increases in traffic, congestion, air pollution are other serious concerns for residents, as is the predicted increase in flooding incidents.

In fact, there is such a long list of concerns and objections that we must ask why the council is so determined to proceed?

It seems that the answer to that question is that the council cannot afford not to proceed because, if they do not complete the development, the financial impact may be so serious that services will have to be cut, or council tax increased or even that the council will go bankrupt!

We feel this is a very serious situation that will be of concern to residents across the district.

It has been acknowledged that a decision to build on Lowfield Lane would not be made now, especially when the area is already overdeveloped, but the decision was made long ago by previous Conservative administrations and is an inherited, unwanted legacy project which the current administration cannot see a way to avoid completing.

It seems that the money the council will make from this development has somehow already been spent/allocated so not receiving those funds will leave a black hole in the budget. There is also a suggestion that if Arkwood do not develop the land, it could be sold to a private developer who will cram in more houses without the environmental mitigations Arkwood have agreed to make.

De-allocating the land for housing seems to be a technical, possibly legal, problem which we are investigating.

Surely there is a way out of having to proceed with this environmental vandalism for more housing that will only add to the problems Balderton residents already face?

We are hoping creative thinkers among the Advertiser readers will be able to help us and the council find a good solution to this problem, without destroying a uniquely valuable natural habitat for not-needed new houses. — JENNIFER HARDING and WENDY PATTERSON, founders of Protect Newark’s Green Spaces