Newark and Sherwood Core Strategy

Our Policy Adviser Bettina Lange represented CPRE Notts at the Examination of the Newark & Sherwood Local Plan Core Strategy last week (1st and 2nd Feb).

1. One of our key objections, the proposal to allocate the site of the former Thoresby Colliery site to housing (and some employment), raised concerns with the inspector : one of his questions for the hearing was whether there is an irresolvable conflict between this allocation and landscape and environmental protection. Although we were successful in arguing our case, Newark & Sherwood District Council had in the meantime giving outline permission to this proposal – in spite of the fact that the site is not needed to meet their housing targets ( as Newark & Shewood have over-allocated even without Thoresby).

2. developers tried to argue for yet higher housing figures – we hope the inspector will not agree with them.

3. our argument was accepted to reinstate the impact on views that people value into the policy about site allocations. This will be part of the Main Modifications.

4. there was a long discussion about Gypsy and Traveller pitches policy and the numbers regarding . The lawyer representing Gypsy and Traveller interests agreed with our argument that smaller sites are preferable but Newark & Sherwood still want larger sites controlled by themselves – there are currently no council-controlled sites in the area.