Councillors have backed plans for almost 200 homes on farmland at the Mansfield and Rainworth border after developers worked with residents to ease their concerns.
Mansfield District Council’s planning committee approved Barratt Homes’ plans, at Three Thorn Hollows Farm, off Blidworth Lane, at its meeting on Monday (June 6).
However, the decision came just weeks after the same committee deferred the company’s proposals following concerns from neighbouring homes.
The developer had initially proposed 200 properties on the greenfield site, but councillors heard in the May 9 meeting that two plots of land on the development could cause privacy and ‘overshadowing’ issues.
A resident told councillors some of the homes could lead to an ‘overbearing impact’ and a loss of light, with the two plots close to homes on nearby Farnsworth Avenue.
Some councillors in last month’s meeting asked whether the development could be reduced down to 198 properties, with the two plots removed from the development altogether.
This came after a spokesperson for the developer offered to shrink the development to help it gain planning permission.
The spokesperson also said the company was willing to work with residents to find a solution to the issue, while the committee’s decision called upon the company to consult with residents about a potential amendment.
Now the developer has come back to councillors with amended plans – which do include a reduced number of homes in the development.
The amended plans showed the number of homes has been reduced to 199, with the two affected plots changed from two semi-detached houses to one bungalow.
The developer says this has eased the concerns of overshadowing and privacy raised by the Farnsworth Avenue residents, who the company worked with when drawing up the changed plans.
Councillors on the authority’s planning committee gave the amended plans their backing during a meeting on Monday (June 6).
Robert Galij, planning director for Barratt Homes, told Monday’s meeting: “Additional dialogue has taken place with officers and with [objectors], endeavouring to reach agreements and a satisfactory outcome.
“The revised scheme is agreed between all principle parties and the objection has been removed by [the previous objector], and officers are also content with the proposed revision.”
The meeting heard a further objection has been submitted to the authority, relating to the development’s impact upon greenfield land and the impact on nearby woodland and ecology.
The concerns also included impact on traffic, noise, air pollution and light pollution.
But councillors were told these concerns had already been addressed when the plans were given outline planning permission in 2020.
Members of Monday’s committee unanimously voted to give the development reserved matters approval.
Councillor Martin Wright (Mans Ind), who represents the Holly ward, said: “I’d like to comment that the planning committee does sometimes work.
“In this case, the developer has been very cooperative with the officers and our officers have worked with the developer to get rid of an objection that did look pretty serious at the time.
“May this be a sign of good things in the future.”
