Go ahead for South Normanton housing development despite villagers’ concerns

Bolsover Council’s planning committee has approved Mark Mitchell’s planning application for housebuilder Honey to erect 50 homes at Townend Farm, off Lees Lane, South Normanton, despite concerns from nearby residents.

Laura Topliss, of nearby North Close, said: “The additional houses will prove a burden on local resources.

“The two infant schools and one junior school in the village will not be able to cope with the additional capacity, forcing local families to attend schools in other areas.

“The village doctor’s surgery also struggles to cope with demand. No dental services are taking new patients.

“Most of all, the roads, particularly Market Street, are facing an increasing challenge with the amount of traffic from both the local area and cars passing through, making it unsafe as a minor B road, and one which I have personally waited to cross with my daughter to school for up to 10 minutes.”

Jenny Morris, of Lees Lane, said Lees Lane is already impassable at times due to the volume of traffic and it will pose access problems for any plant machinery.

David Marriott, also of Lees Lane, said it is already difficult enough to drive to and from Lees Lane without having to reverse or manoeuvre to allow traffic through.

South Normanton Parish Council also objected to the application on the grounds Lees Lane is a narrow, residential lane with parked cars and it poses problems for lorries. It suggested an alternative entrance at the end of Shiners Way should have been considered by extending the road down the side of Derbyshire Council’s The Hub services centre.

The development, on 1.98 hectares of land, will include 35 detached dwellings, 12 semi-detached homes and three terrace properties, with landscaping, individual property access and a main access route.

The council has granted conditional permission, with conditions including the submission of a boundary treatment pack, a house and garage type pack, and a tree constraints plan, as well as that the main vehicular access to Lees Lane must be completed up to an adoptable standard with new highway work.