Our MP Kenneth Clarke Speaks Out on Local Planning Issues

Rt Hon Kenneth Clarke gave the Radcliffe Community Group advice on how to approach the recent planning issues that we are facing around the development of our Greenbelt in Radcliffe on Trent. In our meeting of Sat, 14^th December, while recognising the issue of planning as a highly emotive subject, and highlighting how as our MP for Rushcliffe, he had no powers where planning decisions were concerned, he was able to offer us advice on how best to approach this. While he felt it was unfair to show support, or otherwise, for any one individual planning application, he was able to give advice based upon how to tackle developments of this kind. Here he outlined the processes involved in the decision making surrounding planning applications, such as the recent William Davis Ltd. application that is currently under review on the Greenbelt land at Shelford Road Farm.

While it is good to have the support of our local Radcliffe on Trent Parish Councillors, he identified how ‘The decision will be taken by Rushcliffe Borough Council and they will have to reach their own decision in line with planning practice and guidelines…’ To this end, it was his immediate suggestion that we contact our Rushcliffe Borough Councillors and Nottinghamshire County Councillors directly to express our concerns over the exact nature of these developments in a way which addresses these planning issues and objections directly.

Protection of Our Greenbelt

While we did request MP Clarke’s support on the broader issue surrounding the protection of the Greenbelt land that surrounds Radcliffe on Trent, he highlighted that he was unable to comment explicitly upon this, but reassured us that this would feature as a part of next year’s Greenbelt review for Rushcliffe. The site is still designated Greenbelt and, as yet, the review has not gone ahead. In addition to this, we also asked for his support on the wider issue of the A52 and the existing pressures upon this as the major carriageway that serves Nottingham from the surrounding areas. To this end we pointed out that these were issues that would be faced not only by residents of Radcliffe on Trent, but would be an issue faced more broadly by all of those communities who were reliant upon the A52 corridor for access to Nottingham.

It was highlighted to us that this discussion of the pressures on the A52 would be an issue that would be under consideration as a part of the Rushcliffe Core Strategy and the wider review of future development across Rushcliffe. However, as far as decisions over individual planning applications is concerned, ‘Each one has to be looked at on its merits, and most of them have arguments for and against, but the Borough councillors are elected to take a decision weighing up the merits and the main people to canvas are your elected Borough Councillors who are members of the body which is charged with being the planning authority.’

Planning and Process: How it Works for Us

When asking for clarification over the process for prospective applications on Greenbelt land, MP Clarke highlighted how while the existing laws are in place to protect the Greenbelt, ‘it does not mean that absolutely nothing can be contemplated for the land which is currently designated Greenbelt.’  Here he highlighted how the argument put forward by the developers needs to be compellingly presented and that there is a need to demonstrate ‘exceptional circumstances’. In this situation he identified how ‘To make a decision, you have a look at the facts of each individual case and you have to decide whether it justifies the description of exceptional circumstances.’ MP Clarke felt that in Rushcliffe’s future, ‘There will be modifications to the Greenbelt. But in the meanwhile, the presumption is that you don’t have development on the Greenbelt unless there are some exceptional circumstances.’ So if we are to understand this correctly, this would mean that an application would not be granted on the Greenbelt unless there are ‘exceptional circumstances’ which would justify granting it. At present it would seem that there are no exceptional circumstances evident in the proposal, so it would appear that there is hope yet.  

While he was sympathetic to the position of local councillors in Rushcliffe for the difficult decisions that they are facing at the moment, he identified how as a part of Rushcliffe Borough, ‘Our problem is, it’s not a former industrial area, it doesn’t have brownfield sites. Which is why the problem of getting an agreed local plan in Rushcliffe is so difficult.’ He went on to identify how there is a

‘Need to get the balance right between the public interest and allowing some continuous development and contributing to building the number of houses that we need and on the one hand, the need to protect the amenity of local residents, the environment, the Greenbelt and so on, and it’s not an easy task.’

The Greenbelt Review?

However, with that said, he did recognise the argument surrounding the protection of small communities and pocket villages like Radcliffe that surround Nottingham. In this case, he did recognise that ‘That’s a perfectly valid argument; we do not want the conurbation to creep out swallowing village after village.’ It is nice to know that our MP knows our village and, in discussion, highlighted how ‘Shelford Road has always struck me as an ordinary agricultural landscape.’

Raising our concerns about the fact that Radcliffe on Trent has not, as yet, featured in real terms as a part of the Rushcliffe Local Plan or Core Strategy Development documentation and its plans for development on the Greenbelt, would suggest that there is still room for us to raise our concerns over these developments. We asked whether there would be a large and open consultation process as had recently been offered to the Gamston, Tollerton and Clifton residents, and while not forthcoming in an answer on this issue, he did reassure us that the future of Radcliffe on Trent’s Greenbelt boundary would feature as a part of the next stage of the Core Strategy review. Rushcliffe’s recently released Rushcliffe Greenbelt Review Document (November 2013) states the following on this issue:

‘More detailed changes around Key Settlements in or adjacent to the Green Belt (Bingham, Cotgrave, Keyworth, Ruddington and Radcliffe on Trent) and a review of possible minor adjustments around other villages inset from the Green Belt will take place at a later date in support of the second part of the Local Plan.’

At this stage we are led to believe that this will take place in May/June 2014, however despite pressing on this issue with our MP, local councillors and Rushcliffe Borough Council, we have not been able to gain any further clarification on this subject beyond being referred back to this document, so we include it in full here for your ease of access. Our MP Kenneth Clarke did highlight how

‘Actually the most difficult powers the council have are planning. That is what they are elected to decide, but there is a bit of pressure on them from national policy, because with some councils the easy way out is to turn every application down and just challenge the planning inspectorate to allow the appeals to be turned round and say it’s not my fault. The whole point of a local plan is to give them more responsibility. Once they’ve settled where they’re prepared to contemplate development, then it is added protection for the rest and they can control how it’s developed.’

As such the forthcoming review of Radcliffe on Trent’s Greenbelt review will have the largest decisive factor upon the development of our village community and as such we will continue to fight to have our say on issues that affect us and the impact upon us immediately within our village community.

Failing Drainage and Increased Traffic for the A52 and Our Village

When presenting the concerns of the members of the Radcliffe on Trent community about the proposed development on our Greenbelt, particularly in light of the concerns over the environment, increased traffic, failing drainage, as well as the increased and ongoing flooding issues currently faced by our village community, our MP advised us to put all of these issues into our complaints to Rushcliffe Borough Council. Our MP Kenneth Clarke identified how both ‘The County Council as well as the Borough are involved in the transport consequences, and I do realise that everything along the A52 into Nottingham is heavily loaded.’

When highlighting the massive pressure that has already been exerted upon the A52 as a result of the increase in development across the commuting corridor, and fears amongst our village members as to the impact that all of the developments that have already been granted planning permission will eventually have upon the A52 once complete (in excess of 1500 houses within miles of Radcliffe on Trent and thousands more further along the A52 in the directions of both Grantham and Gamston), our MP acknowledged that ‘The commute to Nottingham from Radcliffe, I am led to believe is a nightmare every morning. It’s got over-loaded over time and transport problems are one of the things that will inhibit it eventually, I would imagine.’

He went on to reassure us that he was well aware of the situation surrounding our village and had already been approached about concerns surrounding the plans to develop the Shelford Road site at Radcliffe on Trent, but that our meeting with him had brought him up to date. He reassured us that he would raise all of these issues personally with our local Rushcliffe Councillors and ensure that our views are taken into consideration, stating that ‘We are now in the middle of a full-blooded argument, discussion, consultation about this decision.’ However, we do need to do this for ourselves, and the more weight that we can put behind this in terms of individual responses to the Rushcliffe Planning office, the better. Recognising how ‘Ordinary citizens just want the merits of the case to be decided objectively and fairly, by someone who’s looked at both sides and takes a decision. And that is what the Borough Council is for.’

The time for us to act is now

As of today we have 2 days remaining to raise our concerns with Rushcliffe Borough Council. To do nothing is to seal our fate. Issues of traffic, drainage and environment are some of the key planning issues that the council will listen to and as such we would ask you to raise your concerns on these issues and any other issues that will have an impact upon our village to the planning office.  

You can raise your concerns in the following ways:

Write in person to the Planning Office at Rushcliffe Borough Council (quoting reference 13/02329/OUT Shelford Road Farm):
Planning Office Ref: 13/02329/OUT, Development Control, Civic Centre, Pavillion Road, West Bridgford, Nottingham NG2 5FE

Or; Email your concerns directly to the Planning Office directly here: developmentcontrol@rushcliffe.gov.uk

Or; Complete the template form available here, returning it to either of the postal addresses or email addresses above

Rushcliffe Planning Application Comments Form

In addition

You should write in person to your local Councillors Jean Smith and Neil Clarke at Rushcliffe Borough Council at: Civic Centre, Pavilion Road, West Bridgford, Nottingham NG2 5FE
Or email:
Cllr Jean Smith at: Cllr.JSmith@rushcliffe.gov.uk
Cllr Neil Clarke at: Cllr.JClarke@rushcliffe.gov.uk

This advice provided by Rt Hon Kenneth Clarke is applicable to any grass roots social action group, such as ours, and so will benefit others that find themselves in our situation.