By Andrew Topping, Local Democracy Reporter
Redundant allotments in Mansfield which have become a hotbed for anti-social behaviour will be turned into 84 new homes.
The land, in Broomhill Lane, will become new housing after Mansfield District Council’s planning committee backed new plans.
The proposal was lodged by Persimmon Homes and will bring new life to land closed by the authority more than three years ago.
It will lead to four one-bedroom, 23 two-bedroom, 52 three-bedroom, three four-bedroom and two five-bedroom properties built on the empty land.
And a new through-road, connecting Broomhill Lane and Westfield Lane to Chesterfield Road via Mount Street and Albion Street, will be created through the site.
The new road was requested by Nottinghamshire County Council, the highways authority, as a way of dispersing traffic in different directions at peak times.
However, the planning committee meeting heard some concerns about this new route from nearby residents and some councillors.
Philip Tucker, who lives in Mount Street, told the meeting: “It’s a busy road which, at various times during the day, is completely full with parked cars.
“There are two other roads – Albion Street and Cannon Street – and they, too, at busy times are completely full. There’s nowhere else to park.
“There will be an increase in through traffic by using Mount Street to avoid the traffic lights and pedestrian crossing.
“The proposals will make the current congestion difficulties even worse and, in short, Mount Street’s capacity is not suited to this increase in through traffic.”
His concerns were echoed by Cllr Barry Answer (Mans Ind), who represents the Rufford ward and said: “It really is inappropriate to use that street as a through road.
“There are 84 homes with a minimum of 120 cars plus visitors. That’s a lot of people and I know for a fact those junctions near it are already awful in the morning and at night.
“I think we’re building a lot more houses in a space that will create a lot more problems.”
However, George Breed, a spokesperson for Persimmon Homes, told the meeting the new connections were requested by the highways authority to limit wider traffic issues on nearby roads.
He said it will create new routes into the town, with no official objections from any major consultees relating to road safety.
“The highways authority doesn’t want cul-de-sac developments any more,” he said.
“It wants connectivity and – by opening up those two points of access and egress – it’s as much of a benefit to existing residents.
“They will have an alternative way of getting into and out of Mansfield without [using] Chesterfield Road.
“If you don’t need to go that way, you can go south onto Broomhill Lane.”
Martyn Saxton, the council’s head of planning, told councillors they could not refuse the plans based on traffic or road safety concerns due to there being no official objections on this matter.
“Officers could not substantiate a highway’s reason for refusal at appeal and there would be a risk of costs against the council,” he said.
A number of financial contributions were sought to mitigate the impact of the new housing.
This includes requesting eight affordable homes, £341,302 for secondary education and £78,765 for post-16 education.
A further £5,132 is requested towards an expanded household waste recycling centre, with £11,800 for bus stop improvements.
Healthcare facilities will get £45,517.50, with £1,498 per house being requested for road improvements.
This is in addition to £125,000 specifically for improvements to the Ladybrook and Westfield Lane junction.
And £73,380 will be spent on biodiversity at Berry Hill Park, with £1,100 per home to fund nearby public open space improvements.
The plan was backed with six votes for, two against and one abstention.
