We have created this page as a way of documenting the questions we have been asked and the answers we have given. If you have a question you think we should answer, don’t hesitate to contact us.
Q: (September 2024) Discussion with Leader of Broxtowe Borough Council on future possible developments
A: Your Responses/Comments
Q: (August 2024): The BBC seemed to suggest that the Development on Chetwynd Barracks might not take place
A: See our Post (August 31st 2024)
Q: (August 2024) What difference could the Governments Changes to the National Planning Policy Framework make to Developments in our Area
A: See our post and Broxtowe’s Draft Response
Q: (March 2024): What are the Forum’s views of the proposals for Toton East?
A: Our submitted comments are here.
Q: (February 2024):When is the Referendum on the Neighbourhood Plan.
A: The target date proposed by Broxtowe is 2nd May 2024
Q: (October 2023): Can you explain the relationship between the various documents that will affect Planning Applications for our Area?
A: We hope that this diagram helps to explain our understanding of the relationships (click on it for a larger image)
Q: (October 2023): What is Biodiversity Net Gain and how does it affect us?
A: Biodiversity is all the different kinds of life you’ll find in one area—the variety of animals, plants, fungi, and even microorganisms like bacteria that make up our natural world. Biodiversity net gain (BNG) is a way to contribute to the recovery of nature while developing land, making sure that the habitat for wildlife is in a better state than it was before development.
BNG is a specific, measurable outcome of consultancy led assessment that delivers demonstrable and quantifiable benefits to biodiversity compared to a baseline measurements made on site. A BNG metric devised by DEFRA is used by consultants to inform and improve planning, design, land management and decision-making. The metric is a proxy for recognising the negative impacts on habitats arising from a development and calculating how much new or restored habitat, and of what types, is required to deliver sufficient net gain.
BNG affects land managers, developers and local planning authorities. Developers must try to avoid loss of habitat to a piece of land they intend to develop. If they cannot do this, they must create habitat either on-site or off-site.
On-site means on the land the development work is on. Off-site is either land away from the development site, or where they have bought units from a land manager.
If they cannot use on-site or off-site land, they must buy statutory credits from the government. They must provide evidence for using this option. This must be a last resort. The government will invest in habitat creation elsewhere in England.
Any off-site or buying statutory credits mitigation of biodiversity loss would be opposed by the Forum. Local planning authorities will have to approve a biodiversity net gain plan for development work before it can start.
One of the core objectives of the Neighbourhood Plan is to “Enrich the Biodiversity of the Neighbourhood Area”
Follow the link opposite to Natural Englands informative Brochure for more explanation.
Q. (October 2023): What consideration has been given to ground contamination on Chetwynd Barracks from the explosion that demolition & construction would potentially disturb? What studies have been conducted or are planned to assess the safety of workers and residents?
A. As well as the explosion in WW1 and its use as a shell filling factory, Chetwynd Barracks has a long history of military use, including storage of vehicles, tanks and equipment of all sorts. The MoD are required to undertake a ground contamination assessment survey across the whole site prior to any development taking place. Plus they will be required to take any remedial action in areas where there is shown to be contamination, above or below surface. We believe this assessment has or is being undertaken, and the MoD will need to satisfy Broxtowe Borough Council, as the Local Planning Authority, that the land can safely be developed.
Q: (June 2023): Does anybody know what is happening to the trees in Toton Fields?
A: With regards to the trees at Toton Fields (Banks Road) Western Power have removed a section of Black Thorn from under the power lines to achieve clearance from the lines they have also removed various Ash trees that were infected with Ash Die Back to prevent them falling into the power lines
They did have a nest survey undertaken before commencing the works and had an ornithologist on site during the works to advise as the works progressed
Q (May 2023): With the cancellation of the HS2 Hub at Toton, is it still realistic to expect 3,000 homes to be built on the “SLG” and 1,500 on Chetwynd Barracks.
A: Our present understanding is that the January 2023 ‘Preferred Approach’ consultation of the Greater Nottingham Strategic Plan proposed 1,400 – 1,700 homes during the plan period at the Strategic Location for Growth at Toton site and 1,500 at Chetwynd Barracks (gnplan.org.uk/media/3375921/preferred-approach-document.pdf). Whilst even these figures will need to be revised to assess what can be delivered up to 2041, this does reflect that the Toton SLG is unlikely to be allocated for a full 3,000 homes and the additional delivery above the 1,700 figure (if that is the final confirmed number) is likely to be dependent upon ‘unlocking’ the land west of the railway line. However we stress that the results of EM DevCo’s work in relation to potential development capacities / mixes at the site may impact upon this.
Q:(March 2023): See Additional questions and answers about the Design Codes & Masterplans through the Design Codes page of the website.
Q (August 2022 in response to the post about the Toton Link Road submission by Nottingham County Council): Please note that we do not all agree with this proposal, it will go through fields, and will remove the Barracks which at this time of world uncertainty is a foolish government decision, but in the long term, it is lovely to have greenfield sites so near to housing, but roads, houses and thousands of cars and bikes will bring an already busy area into more chaos.
A: We are still assuming that (eventually) the MOD will close the Barracks and that the land will be used for a combination of housing & employment. Should they choose not to, then the Area’s developments would be different, but unfortunately that decision is for the MOD to make. Together with the additional traffic caused by housing outside our Area (Barton Quarter for example), Stapleford Lane (and particularly the junction with Swiney Way) is already congested and we have always proposed a road through the Barracks to the A52 as a way of improving traffic flows. We are conscious of the fact that the area suggested for the road is through the last remaining green belt land in the Area. The current Local Plan (valid until 2028) removed the green belt status from a number of areas and, what is now the Banks Road estate, was built on what had previously been green belt. We think it likely that Broxtowe will take this area out of the green belt when the current Local Plan period ends, which would allow the land to be developed. We would rather see significant protected greenspaces incorporated into any new development as we have proposed in the Neighbourhood Plan, and once it has been ‘made’ the Plan policies will apply to all the land that falls within the Forum Area and developers will need to comply with them. We accept that part of the land for the route of the proposed Link Road is outside our Area and falls within Bramcote.
Q: (August 2022) Can you please confirm that comprehensive assessment of fresh and foul drainage /sewerage systems requirements will be undertaken in relation to new housing/commercial buildings. Much of the housing around Chetwynd is on very level ground making proper drainage essential to the whole area. Climate change and more frequent Flood events make this extremely important.
Also I have previously advocated that all domestic new build should have at least 2 car parking spaces. Commercial build should ensure a very generous supply of parking spaces, in order to avoid situations such as the terrible on street business parking in Shaw Road.
A: We have to assume, to some extent, that the normal planning system will ensure that fresh and foul drainage requirements will be sufficient for any new development. The Neighbourhood Plan Policies require that the household use of potable water is reduced and suggests the use of rainwater/greywater harvesting as a way of minimising the amount of water use. Rainwater harvesting should also help to mitigate floods. The Guidelines further require the Masterplans to demonstrate how they minimise flood risk.
We are presently working on Masterplans for the various areas, the Neighbourhood Plan Policies require “adequate levels of parking to minimise on-street parking” and “appropriate technological solutions to reduce travel demand” and the Masterplan will detail the amount of parking per household to be provided and where it is located. There are many formulae for the provision of parking spaces, mainly depending upon the number of bedrooms per household and these are being incorporated together with requirements for bicycle storage, EV Charging points, etc..
When this work is nearing completion, we will circulate it to our members for comment & discussion.
Q: (July 2022) I have tried to obtain a paper copy of the most up-to-date version of the Plan by going to Broxtowe Council Offices, as advised by their website. I visited on two occasions and enquired at the reception desk, but no-one appeared to be aware of either the Consultation or the actual Plan.
A: We don’t know if this is an isolated incident or if other people have had similar difficulties, but we raised this issue with Broxtowe and received the following response:-
“There should have been a paper copy of the Neighbourhood Plan available for ‘inspection’ within the Reception of the Council Offices; I don’t know if someone has removed the ‘inspection copy’ of the Plan, but I have asked if our Admin Team could print a replacement copy of the Plan and leave this in Reception. I would like to sincerely apologise to the member of the public for the inconvenience caused. If anyone else has been experiencing difficulties in terms of inspecting the document at the Council Offices, I would encourage them to contact the Planning Policy Team by telephone 0115 917 7777 and asking for Planning Policy, or by sending an email to policy@broxtowe.gov.uk“
Please do not hesitate to contact Broxtowe as above if you have had similar difficulties.
Q: (June 2022) Can hedgehog highways be included to link gardens. We have a healthy population of hedgehogs in Toton, but nationally they need help in urban and suburban builds. Very cheap to include at the planning stage
A: We are very keen to maintain/improve the green infrastructure in our Area, particularly as significant areas of greenspace in the Barracks and just south of the A52 will be built on according to the present plans. The Neighbourhood Plan requires that Mature Trees and hedgerows be retained as far as practical and that “green corridors” are created to link the various greenspaces. We are presently working on Design Codes for the areas. Design Codes are intended to indicate things that the local community would “like” in the area and things that will mean that the Developer would be more likely to receive planning consent. The present draft includes a preference for hedges between gardens rather than fences but we are debating whether this can be enforced in any way. However, making “porous” garden divisors to allow wildlife corridors is something we would be looking to have delivered.
Q: (January 2022): How does the Integrated Rail Plan affect our Area?
A: Now that the IRP has been published and the HS2 Hub at Toton cancelled, we are working with others (DevCo and Broxtowe Council) to determine the impact on the Area. The way in which we created the Neighbourhood Plan means that most of the Policies are not changed in what they are trying to achieve. What has changed significantly is the way in which they are implemented and we are formulating our position.
Q: (December 2021) What do we know, and what can residents do to be consulted regarding the Development of Housing in areas 4/5/6 (Chetwynd Barracks)? The SPD says these will be delivered by 2025 – not long now then.
A: (August 2022): At a recent meeting, the DIO suggested that they would be applying for outline planning permission for some areas of the Barracks during 2023.
(January 2022): In November 2021, the MOD Announced that they would not vacate the site until 2026 and seemed to imply that none of the 75.2Ha would be available for development before that date.
(December 2021): As yet, there are (as far as we know) no Developers submitting plans for developments in Chetwynd Barracks, Toton South or Toton East, despite the fact that Broxtowe would like to see 1,300 homes and associated infrastructure completed by 2025. We are in contact with the DIO (the MOD Land owner), Homes England and their consultants (Avison Young) who we believe are going to submit outline plans for the development of the whole Chetwynd Barracks site by the Spring/Summer 2022. We are not aware whether Heart Church (who own the land of Toton East and Toton South) have identified a Developer or Architects to plan those areas.
The Forum’s Neighbourhood Plan has recently been updated, following Broxtowe’s request for a Strategic Environmental Assessment and will be submitted for Regulation 16 Consultation, after which an Independent Examiner will further review it. Despite the recent publication of the Government’s Integrated Rail Plan and its impact upon the previously proposed HS2 Hub station at Toton, including the “station in a park” proposals, most of the Policies included in the Neighbourhood Plan are unaffected, including those regarding the Environment, Green Space, and the requirement for Masterplans to set out the provision of open space. According to the Localism Act 2011, any Developer will have to follow the Policies of the Neighbourhood Plan as well as those of the Local Planning Authority.
We are also developing our own Masterplan for the area which we will use as an exemplar model to compare other proposals. We hope to be able to share this with the Forum membership early in 2022.
As we get to know more we will inform the Forum membership.
Q: (November 2021) What are these (found in the ploughed fields east & west of Stapleford Lane)?
A: The consensus of the answers we received is that they are probably gas/groundwater monitoring positions. Gas & Groundwater measurements are required before any development can take place.
We’ll updated this answer if we get further information.
Q: (October 2021) Heart Church is a significant landowner and have had their landholding up for sale for a while. Do you have any news on whether the land been sold yet and if so, who to?
A: We know that the land has been up for sale for some time and are keeping a watch on whether and when it gets sold. As yet we are not aware of any sale.
Q: (September 2021) Has the Forum considered how to improve cycle access in the Area, particularly at the top of Stapleford Lane between the end of the Service Road and the point by the NET where the Cycle Route joins the footway?
A: Our Neighbourhood Plan tries to improve active travel in the area by identifying new cycle routes through the area thus supporting the proposals in the Broxtowe Local Plan. We plan that these new routes will be more “cycle friendly” than some of the existing roads and will be actively promoting them as part of our Masterplanning proposals.
Q: (August 2021): How do I know if I’m a member of the Forum?
A: Anybody who is over 16 and lives or works in our Area is entitled to be a “Full Member” of the Forum. In addition, people under the age of 16 can be “Junior Members”. People outside the area can be “Friends”. If we have been given their email addresses, Full Members, Junior Members and Friends can receive our “mailshots” where we try to keep them up to date with what is happening.
Maintaining the membership and the “mailshot” lists is not simple as people move in and out of the area or decide to use social media or our website rather than receiving the mailshot and unsubscribe from the mailshot list.
However, if you are receiving the mailshot and live in the Area, you are probably a member.
If you are not sure, use our contact us page giving us your full name and address to ask us to add you to the Member List.
Q: (August 2021):Will I be able to buy land adjacent to mine when the Barracks is sold for Development?
A: The answer to this question remains unclear. Whilst the Forum continue to meet with the DIO, Homes England and Avison Young, the exact area which the DIO will dispose of remains unclear (the Service Accommodation may remain for some time and the boundary of area around the TA/HMS Sherwood is not fully defined). Even when the area is fully defined, whether the DIO will offer parcels of land to interested parties is entirely in their hands. The Forum realises that this isn’t satisfactory and will continue to press for an answer.
Q: June 2021: When do you realistically expect the Barracks to be sold and the development of the site to take place?
A: Homes England (HE) have confirmed that disposal of the site is due to take place in 2024. (Note in November 2021 this was changed to 2026). Homes England and their consultants (Avison Young) are producing their Masterplan & phasing for the site which will be the subject of public consultation. The timescale for the site development will depend upon the Developer appointed by HE and planning approval by Broxtowe. Our present understanding is that the land to the West of the Barracks (where there are no buildings) will be developed first with a target to achieve Broxtowe’s 500 homes by 2028. We are hoping that further meetings with HE/AY will clarify the timescale for the development of the rest of the site.
Q: Are there any plans for spiritual welfare in our plan for Chetwynd Barracks? Eg place of worship, cafe style meeting places?
A: Our vision for the area included in the Neighbourhood Plan has always included a “Plaza” near to the Memorial Gardens within the Barracks, and additional cafes and restaurants in the Innovation Campus near to the Hub Station. The Plaza forms the multi-functional “Community Hub” for the area including space for multi-faith worship and community uses. Toton Churches has made a number of comments to the Plan including their desire either to create a new place of worship, or to be a key stakeholder in any community building that may form part of the Plaza area recognising that the centre of the community will move away from the present location of the Toton Churches. Whilst the Plan doesn’t explicitly identify community buildings within the outline Masterplan at this stage, we hope that working with the Architects producing the Masterplans for the area will ensure that such facilities are included.
Q: Does the change of the Parish Boundary between the Stapleford and Toton Parishes make any difference to the Forum?
A: No, the Forum Area is defined by the Designation which was agreed with Broxtowe Borough Council, adopted in March 2017 and ratified by the Forum in June 2017. This is the Area of the Wards of Toton & Chilwell Meadows and Chilwell West modified along the Western edge of Toton to exclude the HS2 safeguarding zone and the area further to the West up to the Erewash Borough/Derbyshire County boundary. The full designation can be found here.
Q: BT are selling off phoneboxes. Is the Forum interested in acquiring a phonebox for the benefit of the Community?
A: The Neighbourhood Forum’s remit is to create and monitor the implementation of the Neighbourhood Plan. The Community Action Team (CAT) may be a more appropriate organisation for such requests.