By Anna Whittaker, Local Democracy Reporter
Plans to demolish a scout hut and construct a new one are set to be rejected due to the land being on Green belt, meaning an area of land upon which building is restricted.
Newark and Sherwood District Council received an application for the Hoveringham Activity Centre in Thurgarton Lane.
The current building was granted consent in 2016 to be used by the Scout Association for water sports on the lake.
It is used to provide watersports, outdoor activities and training for young people aged six to 18.
The plans seek to replace the current building purpose-built building, including a meeting space, changing facilities and offices.
In 2022, plans for the demolition and replacement building were rejected due to the site being on green belt land.
Applicant Nottinghamshire County Scouts has since submitted revised plans which will be decided on at the authority’s planning committee on April 20.
The proposals for the new building include a meeting space, segregated youth, adult and inclusive changing and showering facilities, toilets, a kitchen and a small office.
“The quality of our provision will be significantly improved at the current participant levels and it will be practical to offer enhanced training activities during our period of limited water use from October to March”, the applicant said.
Hoveringham Parish Council said it supports the application and added the proposed construction “will be a huge improvement visually to the current structure”.
The authority said: “The scouts are excellent neighbours who, apart from enhancing youngsters’ lives, go over and above with caring for the environment in many ways – litter picking, footpath maintenance etc which benefits everyone.”
But Newark and Sherwood District Council said: “The proposed development would represent inappropriate development in greenbelt which by definition is harmful.
“The development would impose harm to the openness of green belt.
“Very special, specific circumstances to outweigh this harm have not been
presented and therefore the development is recommended for refusal.”
