265-home Clifton development to be decided next week

The planning application for a development on land between Clifton Wood and Clifton Phase 4 on Yew Tree Lane in Nottingham involves a detailed proposal for 265 dwellings, integrating a mix of housing types and public open spaces.

The site is a combination of former Nottingham Trent University playing fields and agricultural land owned by Nottingham City Council.

There is currently no vehicular access to the site. Informal footpaths from the
adjacent bridleway cross the site to gain access into Clifton Woods.

Outline planning permission was conditionally approved at a Planning Committee
meeting on 19 December 2018 for residential development of the site, with access
arrangements being the only detailed matter submitted for approval at that stage.
The City Council and NTU were joint applicants for the planning application, as
landowners.

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The main access to the site is to be through the existing Barton Green estate.
Existing access to the estate is taken from the A453 Trunk road, at the Crusader
roundabout, onto Hartness Road, which forms the sole existing distributor road
serving the Barton Green estate. From Hartness Road direct access to the site is to
be via an extension to Hawksley Gardens, which currently forms a cul-de sac
serving approximately 36 properties. An additional (emergency only) access is to be
built off Finchley Close, a further cul-de-sac serving approximately 14 properties.
Both accesses are to cross the existing bridleway, which runs along the western
boundary of the estate, via appropriate crossing facilities at these points.

Following lengthy negotiations regarding the S106 Agreement, the permission was
finally issued on 9th December 2020 (reference18/00056/POUT).

The S106 Agreement included:

• A requirement to provide 20% affordable housing on site should any
subsequent reserved matters submission comprise of 25 dwellings or more.
• A financial contribution towards the enhancement of public open space off-
site.
• A financial contribution towards the expansion and/or enhancement of
education facilities in the area.
• A financial contribution of £25,000 towards the enhancement and
improvement of existing footpaths in the adjacent Clifton Woods.

Details of the proposal

The site was subsequently acquired by Avant Homes who have submitted the
current application which seeks approval for the outstanding reserved matters
relating to layout, scale, appearance and landscaping.

It is proposed to develop the site with 265 dwellings comprising 16 x one bedroom, 57 x two bedroom, 105 x three bedroom, 82 x four bedroom and 5 x five bedroom dwellings. These are to provided as a mix of detached, semi-detached and terraced houses, all with associated parking. The dwellings are largely 2 storey in height, with some 2.5 storey dwellings (incorporating rooms in the roof and dormer windows), and of broadly traditional design with brick facades and pitch tiled roofs.

The layout has evolved the principles of the masterplan and proposes character
areas that are defined by a street hierarchy. There are five Character Areas
comprising the ‘Gateway’ at the entrance of the site, the ‘Main Street’ which forms
the main vehicular route through the site, the ‘Green Edge’ which surrounds the
edges of the development, the ‘Boulevard’ which runs either side of the central
retained trees and hedgerow, and the ‘Central Core’ streets at the centre of the
layout.

A key feature of the layout and landscape proposals is the creation of a green edge
to all boundaries of the site, with new residential areas and streets set within this.
This includes an undulating green buffer along the western edge of the site with
Clifton Woods that would have a minimum width of 15m, retention of the central
spine of mature trees and, the creation of a green space and a surface water
attenuation pond to the northern entrance to the site.

The objections to the planning application for the development on land between Clifton Wood and Clifton Phase 4 on Yew Tree Lane in Nottingham are multifaceted, reflecting concerns from local residents, environmental and historical preservation perspectives, traffic and accessibility issues, and considerations regarding the development’s integration into the existing community. Here’s a consolidated list of the main objections:

1. Development Impact on Local Residents: Objections include concerns about the development being for profit at the expense of local residents and a lack of community engagement by Avant Homes with local residents.
2. Developer Reputation: Concerns regarding Avant Homes’ alleged history of poor standards and incomplete estates in other parts of the city.
3. Website Issues: Problems with the Council’s website prevented objections from being registered.
4. Traffic and Accessibility:
   • Increase in traffic, particularly impacting Hawksley Gardens and the Barton Green estate.
   • Concerns about the proposed access from Hawksley Gardens, a small residential cul-de-sac, being problematic and causing significant traffic increase.
   • Insufficient details on how the development will address pedestrian and animal safety across the bridleway.
   • Questions about the impact of construction traffic and the need for alternative routes.
5. Drainage and Flood Risk: The Lead Local Flood Authority held objections pending a comprehensive drainage strategy that addresses potential flooding and incorporates sustainable drainage systems (SuDS).
6. Biodiversity and Ecological Impact:
   • Insufficient detail on mitigating the impact on adjacent ancient woodlands and nature reserves.
   • Concerns over the proposed development’s biodiversity net gain and the need for ecological enhancements.
7. Light Pollution and Preservation of Green Spaces:
   • Potential light pollution affecting Clifton Woods and the need for careful consideration of lighting to protect adjacent woodlands.
   • The level of informal green space deemed inadequate for the woodland setting.
8. Historical and Cultural Preservation: The need to ensure that the development does not negatively impact the character and heritage of the adjacent Clifton Village and respects the buffer zone requirements for Clifton Woods.
9. Housing Mix and Design:
   • Questions about the variation in proposed house heights, with some structures exceeding the previously stated maximum of two stories, potentially impacting the area’s visual amenity.
   • Concerns over the adequacy of parking provision, the need for electric vehicle charging points, and the overall design quality of new dwellings.
10. Infrastructure and Community Resources:
    • Increased pressure on local infrastructure, including roads, GP services, and schools, due to the additional population the development would bring.
11. Sustainability and Environmental Considerations:
    • Calls for the development to adopt more sustainable construction methods and materials, including considerations for carbon neutrality and enhancements to public transport to reduce car usage.

The proposals will be discussed at a meeting of Nottingham City Council planning committee on 21 February.