A former village riding school could be demolished to make way for dozens of homes.
New proposals from developer Shelford Property Investments Limited, submitted to Newark and Sherwood District Council, have revealed plans to tear down the Heather House property in Walesby, a small rural village near Ollerton.
The site includes Heather House, in New Hill, which sits as an empty property at the front of the road, with the former riding school buildings and paddocks situated behind it up the track.
With the nostalgic element of the former riding school, the Heather House building is considered a “landmark” by locals, but now its legacy could be tarnished, as the empty home could be demolished and up to 31 new homes could be built on the site.
Early plans suggest the homes could be built towards the southern end of the patch of grassland, with a section in the north acting as public open space. Access would come from the existing one off New Hill.
Although the specific mix of homes would come at a ‘reserved matters’ planning stage – following approval of the outline plans – documents suggest the development could include one four-bedroom home, 17 two-bedroom homes and 10 three-bedroom homes.
Nine of these properties would be classed as affordable.
One village resident, Nicholas Mitchell, submitted his objection to the proposed development, citing traffic and congestion concerns and calling Heather House an “important part” of the village’s history and heritage.
He said: “Walesby is a small rural village, and a development of this scale would be out of keeping with the character, size and identity of our community.
“The addition of 31 houses would significantly increase traffic on local roads, creating additional congestion and road safety concerns for residents, pedestrians and cyclists.”
He continued that the dozens of homes would also place extra pressure on drainage, healthcare services and other facilities “already limited” in the small village.
Mr Mitchell said: “Heather House is an important part of Walesby’s history and heritage. It is a well-known local landmark and was once home to the village riding school, making it a significant part of the village’s social and community history.
“Many residents will have memories and connections associated with the property, and its loss would remove an important link to the village’s past.”
Nottinghamshire County Council, as the lead flood authority, has objected to the plans at this stage on the grounds of “insufficient” surface water drainage information being provided.
The authority has said the objection could be removed if the developer submits evidence to show whether infiltration is suitable for the site or not.
Planning documents state that surface water runoff rates will be managed using Sustainable Drainage Systems.
The population of the village in the 2021 census was estimated at around 1,200.
Plans will be decided by the council at a later stage, with the authority listing the determination deadline as 10 September 2026.
By Lauren Monaghan, Local Democracy Reporter