Eight hundred homes are currently in the pipeline for the former Thoresby Colliery site, after it closed in 2015
The Thoresby Vale housing development (Pegasus Group)(Image: Pegasus Group)
The development of up to 190 homes on the site of a former colliery in Nottinghamshire has been approved, despite concerns that local NHS services are at capacity.
Eight hundred homes are currently in the pipeline for the former Thoresby Colliery site, after it closed in 2015. It was the last operational mine in the Nottinghamshire coalfield.
Developer Harworth said careful planning opened up the possibility of building an additional 190 homes to the north of the site, and these plans were given unanimous approval by Newark and Sherwood District Council at a planning meeting on Thursday (October 2).
Despite approving the scheme, some councillors said commissioning groups for local NHS services should be brought round the table to discuss capacity problems.
Cllr Sue Saddington (Con), who represents the Muskham ward, said: “All the practices in the area are working at capacity. That to me means they are busy. And to make the scheme acceptable, the infrastructure would need to be developed to accommodate the increased population.
“Where are all these people going to go if the health facilities are already at capacity? It doesn’t make sense to me.”
A council officer said discussions were held with the then-Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) – now called the Integrated Care Board (ICB) – concerning health services on site.
However, the officer said the organisation, which commissions local health services, was “not interested in providing an on-site healthcare facility.”
Planning committee meeting chair and member for Edwinstowe and Clipstone, Cllr Andy Freeman (Lab), said: “Initially I did have concerns because it is a 25 per cent increase from 800 to 990 – nearly 1,000 – homes.
“That is a lot. But everything that is going on and being developed around it, with the A614 [improvements] coming on stream, and certainly the NHS in Edwinstowe has increased capacity and has additional GPs, and the school being built as well – it is a community that is flourishing and coming together.”
However, he said it is “common sense” that a new community of 1,000 homes would have its own GP surgery or health provision.
“I think we need to have the NHS round the table to actually quiz them over why they take the decisions that they take, because they don’t seem to make sense to us,” he added.
The site wraps around a former British Coal workshop building that will be converted for community uses, according to the plans.
Steve Lewis-Roberts, agent for Harworth, said: “Harworth is the master developer of Thoresby Vale.
“Around 300 dwellings are now occupied, the country park opened last summer, the primary school opened this September, and next month we will be submitting an application for a local centre in the former workshop building.
“Through careful planning, it has become clear there is land within the original application site boundary to deliver an additional 190 dwellings. There are no technical objections from any of the statutory consultees. The recent confirmation of funding for the Ollerton Road improvement scheme is the perfect timing to deliver the remainder of the development.
“These proposals will make the most sufficient use of an allocated brownfield site. The application is supported by Edwinstowe Parish Council and the development will make a significant contribution to the council’s housing requirements.”
Mr Lewis-Roberts said Harworth is willing to deliver 7.4 per cent affordable homes on site and contributions towards community facilities and special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) services, despite not being required to by planning obligations.
Councillors welcomed the offer of additional support for the local community.