New 1,800-home garden village approved

Land to the north of Clowne can become a new village after plans were approved

Plans for a new “garden village” on the edge of a Derbyshire town have been approved.

Bolsover District Council approved the principle of an 1,800-home community on 59 acres (24 hectares) of fields adjacent to Clowne and close to Barlborough on Tuesday.

Clowne Garden Village, off Hickinwood Lane, will also include a retirement village, a neighbourhood centre, a hotel, restaurant, health and care provision and leisure uses.

But Waystone Ltd’s development has proved controversial and campaigners have said they plan to lodge an appeal over the decision, said the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

More than 6,000 people raised objections to the scheme, arguing it would lead to overcrowding, place a strain on highways, health services and education, create drainage and flooding problems and affect the countryside and wildlife.

Clowne East councillor David Bennett said: “It is unsustainable in the long-term. The heart of the village will become so clogged it will stop beating.”

Planning officer Steve Gill told the meeting the plan will result in a significant contribution for growth and housing and that only a small portion of the site will be in the Green Belt.

He added the scheme will also bring a new primary school, a financial contribution to secondary education, improvements to highways and the Treble Bob roundabout, a healthcare contribution and 10% of the housing will be classed as affordable.

He said: “The public benefits together outweigh the potential harmful impacts.”

A heated meeting took place at Bolsover District Council

Dominic Page, representing Waystone, told the council the development will help meet much-needed housing and jobs and provide more than £25m in contributions to the area’s infrastructure and services.

Clowne Garden Village Action Group chairman Dominic Webb told the committee: “You have failed, as a council, the parishes of Clowne and Barlborough. We will be fighting this.”