Plan threat to town’s appeal

Large-scale housing development on roads leading into Southwell would ruin the rural appeal of the town, according to a working group set up to analyse potential sites for housing.

The working group, established by Southwell Town Council to comment on Newark and Sherwood District Council’s strategic housing land availability assessment, will write to the district council with their comments.

The assessment is being undertaken to help the district council find space for 17,800 homes.

After its first meeting, the working group chairman, Mr Brendan Haigh, said members had decided Southwell could not cope with any large-scale development.

He said: “The number of houses that could potentially be built on the land is 450, which is something this town just would not be able to cope with for a number of reasons — particularly the totally inadequate infrastructure.

“We have got congested roads, the schools are already full, and drainage and sewers are not able to cope.”

Mr Haigh said the group felt it was important the town retained a rural feel.

He said: “In some cases development would be to the detriment of aesthetic quality and views in particular on the edge of the town.

“One of the town’s most important characteristics is that there is not a lot of development when approaching the town from all directions, and we want to keep that rural feel in the town.

“The potential sites on Lower Kirklington Road, Nottingham Road, and Halam Road have proposals for a fairly large amount of housing.

“If the village envelope is extended we think that is just not acceptable, particularly because it would spoil the rural character of the town.”

Mr Haigh said more meetings of the working group would take place during the year.

A public consultation on the land availability assessment ended on Friday.