547-home residential development at Land Between Welbeck Road And Oxcroft Lane, Bolsover

The site and surroundings

The 26.45-hectare site was mainly agricultural fields and rough pasture, with rights of way, hedgerows, nearby housing and earlier phases under construction.

“SITE & SURROUNDINGS The application site is an irregular shape of land, extending to an area of approximately 26.45 hectares. The site was primarily used as fields for agricultural use with areas of unused rough pastureland. In the southern area, the site is predominantly small rectilinear fields and allotments bounded by maintained field hedgerows of varying quality.”

“There are existing residential areas generally to the south, east and west of the site, with some areas of retained allotments alongside the western flank of the site fronting Oxcroft Lane. Earlier approved phases of the Bolsover North strategic site are currently under construction along parts of the east and west side of the current reserved matters site. Open fields bound the site to the north and northwest.”

Officer report

Planning history

Outline permission was granted in 2017, followed by reserved matters permissions for 238 homes in 2021 and 21 homes in 2023.

“Outline planning permission for residential and associated development of this land was granted in October 2017 (ref. 14/00080/OUTEA), with two previous reserved matters planning permissions consented in April 2021 (ref. 19/00005/REM – Phase 1 for 238 dwellings), and December 2023 (ref. 23/00238/REM – Phase 1a for 21 dwellings).”

“At the end of September 2025 delivery of dwellings from these consents was as follows: -”

Officer report

What officers recommended

Officers recommended approval subject to the linked legal agreement being varied, finding the proposal consistent with the outline permission and acceptable with conditions.

“The submitted reserved matters are considered to accord with the parameters of the original outline planning permission and the Design and Access Statement approved by that permission.”

“RECOMMENDATION Subject to the approval of the parallel application ref. 25/00433/OTHER for the amendment to the S106 associated with the outline planning permission ref. 14/00080/OUTEA, and subject to the completion of any Deed of Variation, this reserved matters application is recommended for approval, subject to the following conditions, which are provided below draft form, the final wording to be agreed by the Planning Manager: -”

Officer report

Main planning issues

The assessment considered the development principle, design, amenity, highways, heritage, landscape, ecology, flood risk and drainage.

“Key issues It is considered that the key issues in the determination of this application are: • The principle of the development. • Layout and Design, • Amenity. • Access and Highway Safety. • Heritage impacts. • Landscape and ecology. • Flood risk and drainage.”

“These issues are addressed in turn in the following sections of this report.”

Officer report

What residents said

Residents raised concerns about traffic, infrastructure, construction disturbance, privacy, biodiversity, drainage, existing homes, hedgerows and the character of the town.

“Biodiversity • Residents raised concerns about the impact on nature and biodiversity previously and were ignored, this latest development does nothing to address those same concerns. • Concern if hedgerows are to be removed. Even if the builders keep the hedges, a preservation order needs establishing so residents cannot remove them.”

Officer report

Who spoke

The agent spoke in favour of the application, and members sought clarification about solar panels, bungalows, allotments and green spaces.

Members’ discussion

Members sought clarification about solar panels, the number of bungalows, and the provision of allotments and green spaces.

“Clarifications were sought on the provision of solar panels on properties, the number of bungalows, and the provision of allotments / green spaces.”

Minutes

The decision

The committee approved the application after completion of a deed of variation linked to the separate obligations application, subject to conditions.

“Moved by Councillor Steve Fritchley and seconded by Councillor Phil Smith RESOLVED that application no. 25/00069/REM be APPROVED following the completion of a DoV linked to the request under application 25/00433/OTHER and subject to the following conditions, which are provided below draft form, with the final wording to be agreed by the Development Management and Land Charges Manager and the Principal Planners:”

Minutes