By Andrew Topping, Local Democracy Reporter
Walls built alongside a new housing development on a busy Mansfield road need to be demolished and rebuilt after breaching planning regulations.
The walls, on either side of Bloomsbury Gardens, were created alongside a development in the area more than seven years ago.
Mansfield District Council says they were ‘unauthorised’ and have been the subject of a planning enforcement notice requiring them to be removed.
Fronting onto Berry Hill Lane, they were first subject to a retrospective planning application which was refused by the authority in 2016.
The council said at the time the red brickwork was ‘incongruous’ with the surrounding area and the existing stone walls which front the majority of Berry Hill Lane.
An appeal was lodged on this decision but this was thrown out by the Government’s Planning Inspectorate.
A separate planning notice was served in September 2017 ordering the wall to be removed before a planning application was lodged in 2018.
This was granted permission and looked at cladding the walls with “sympathetic” materials.
This included removing existing pillars, removing railing and cladding the building with ‘Z-stone’. However, the council said these attempts were unsuccessful.
Now the authority has unanimously backed a new plan to completely demolish both walls and replace them with a new wall made entirely of stonework.
A planning meeting on Monday (July 31) heard three objections were received from residents of Bloomsbury Gardens.
These raised concerns over privacy if the existing wall was changed, as well as fears about the character of the area and potential fears of crime.
But in the meeting, Robbie Steele, a council planning officer, said: “It’s unlikely the reduction in wall height will cause any concern for privacy given you can walk past and see through the railings.
“You can also just walk straight into Bloomsbury Gardens at the access, so we’re not concerned about those objections.”
He added: “The wall connects to an existing historic wall which, while itself is not listed, is recognised for its connection to the Grade-II listed Berry Hill Hall.
“These walls are unauthorised and have been subject to a planning enforcement notice requiring the removal of the wall.
“An appeal was dismissed with concerns being the walls are out of character with the area. If you drive down there [this is true] and it is primarily stone walls.
“The purpose of this application is to remedy the breach of planning control and to demolish and rebuild it in stone.
“Overall, it’s considered the application will deal with the harm caused to the character of the area with their removal.”
Councillors unanimously supported the measures, which will now be enforced by the applicant Dukeries Homes Ltd.
