Village field ‘wrong place’ for housing
SITE WAS NEVER MEANT TO BE BUILT ON, SAY RESIDENTS
VILLAGERS say plans for plans for a 21-home development on a field is “unsuitable” for the location.
The proposals, submitted to Newark and Sherwood District Council, would see the houses built on land off Marriott Lane in Blidworth.
The development would be on a field directly next to a site – a greenfield area known locally as The Meadows – where 81 separate homes have recently been approved.
Under the development, eight twobed, 10 three-bed and a further three four-bedroom properties would be built on the land, with 33 percent being “affordable”.
However, residents have raised fears over the development, saying it is on a narrow access road with “little space” for an influx of cars.
Zoe Hinchley, 44, lives directly opposite the proposed development and says she owns part of the land where its access road would be built.
She said: “The stretch of road where they want to build the access belongs to me.
“It’s in my deeds and I’ve been maintaining it for the six years I’ve lived here.
“I won’t be selling it off at any price.
“So the proposed entrance is right outside my house, where my little boy always runs out of the house and straight down on to the road.
“If they are building 21 houses then there’s going to be around 40 cars, but it’s only a narrow country access road.
“There’s no way they will even be able to get HGV lorries down here to create the houses, and the end of the road going back on to Main Street is a very dangerous turn-off.”
Jacqueline Key, 76, lives in a house in Cottage Close, which backs on to the proposed development site.
She said: “I don’t get it, Blidworth Village is surrounded by loads of fields but they are intent on building houses all close together.
“Parking and access on this road is a nightmare anyway – it’s so narrow and you have horses and dog walkers going up and down all the time.
“I’ve had a look at the plans and there’s going to be buildings right outside my garden.
“I’m concerned with how high they will be and if they can see in.
“It’s causing me a lot of stress, I’ve had some sleepless nights worrying about it.”
Alan Sharp’s Cottage Close home also backs on to the proposed development site.
The 69-year-old said: “It’s the access that’s the main problem. There’s vehicle access there for a field but not for a housing development.
“I’ve seen the plans and there’s even a garage proposed right outside my house.
“It was always understood the land would never be built on. The lady who owned the land and died didn’t want it built on and intended for it to go to the RSPCA.”
In the plans submitted to the council, developers behind the scheme said: “Vehicular and pedestrian access to the site has been shown ... as being from Marriott Lane, which is a tarmac adopted road leading from Main Street. “The existing junction with Main Street appears to provide the required visibility for additional proposed road traffic.
“Access directly from Main Street adjacent to 14 Cottage Close would be possible for pedestrians but would not render the required visibility for vehicular egress.
“Marriott Lane varies in width, but attains the minimum width to allow access by fire appliance and refuse vehicles.”
The Post approached the agent behind the proposals for a comment but had not received a response at the time of going to press.