Hucknall councillor raises concerns over plans for caravan site in the town
A Hucknall councillor has objected to a planning application which he says could place further pressure on local residents, roads and the character of the area.
Coun Lee Waters (Ash Ind), who represents Hucknall Central on Ashfield Council, has objected to application to change residential curtilage at a property on Nottingham Road, into a caravan site with nine mobile homes and a site manager’s office.
Coun Waters highlighted that the plans are advertised as being within the green belt, and more than 50 resident objections have already been submitted.
He said: “This is not just one caravan tucked away at the bottom of a garden.
"This is a full caravan site proposal, with nine mobile homes, a site manager’s office, parking areas, hardstanding, fencing, lighting and all the daily activity that would come with it.
“My concern is simple: this could completely change the character of the land.
“It risks turning a sensitive green belt site into a far more urbanised and intensive development, in a location where openness, landscaping and local character really matter.”
Concerns over highway safety and modifications to the proposed entrance site have also been raised by Nottingham Council’s highways department, which said: “The current vehicular access is considered inadequate for two-way vehicle flow, and given this, the dropped crossing must be widened to accommodate such movements.
"This would involve installing dropped kerbs within the north side of the bus stop area adjacent the existing access and extending the hard paved area and raised kerb to the south of the bus stop, thereby accommodating the bus stop fully.
"The Highway Authority would therefore strongly recommend that modifications are proposed in the interest of highway safety.”
In their application, the developers highlighted that ‘planning permission has recently been obtained to redevelop the site’ and that ‘open undeveloped land lies to the rear and is shown as a housing allocation on the Ashfield Local Plan Policies Map 2023’.
They add that the proposals include providing a new access driveway and there would be new hedgerows and tree planting at the site.
The proposal also says the site has ‘little or no biodiversity value’ .
It continued: “Although shown as within the green belt in the Ashfield Local Plan Review 2002, the emerging Local Plan 2023 documents show the site to be within ‘main urban area’ and surrounded by a Housing Land Allocation.
"The emerging Local Plan must now be given substantial weight and, as previously developed land within the main urban area, the site must be regarded as being suitable for this form of residential development, which will add to the district’s housing mix.”
Bu Coun Waters said: “This feels like planning creep by stealth.
"A replacement dwelling is one thing – a nine-unit caravan site is something very different.
"Once land is opened up in this way, the character of an area can be changed bit by bit, and residents are left dealing with the consequences.”
He added that the impact on trees, hedgerows, biodiversity, noise, neighbouring homes and the Nottingham Road street scene must be taken seriously.
Residents can view and comment on the proposals by visiting planning.ashfield.gov.uk/planning-applications and using reference V/2026/0191.