Annington Homes and the MoD Reach Agreement

Some of the homes in Chetwynd Barracks were sold to Annington Homes in 1996 a decision which has for some years raised questions about the status of those homes and their impact upon any possible development of the Barracks.

It now seems that the MoD and Annington Homes have come to an agreement for the MoD to buy those homes back from Annington Homes.

The impact upon any development of Chetwynd Barracks is yet to be determined but we’ll let you know as we find anything out.

The Government’s paper is here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-buys-back-36347-military-homes-to-improve-housing-for-forces-families-and-save-taxpayers-billions

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Local Government Reform

The UK Government has just published its “English Devolution White Paper” which could have a significant impact on Local Government in our area.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/english-devolution-white-paper-power-and-partnership-foundations-for-growth/english-devolution-white-paper#:~:text=Local%20government%20reorganisation%3A%20We%20will,quality%20services%20to%20their%20residents.

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Greater Nottingham Strategic Plan Consultation – Information

The Steering Group will be responding to the consultation on behalf of the Forum, but for those intending to provide an individual response, we would suggest that you read the GNSP Response Form Guidance notes as they specify how responses should be provided & the criteria required using the GNSP Response Form or online submission form.

If you would like us to consider any specific points within the Forum response (see our previous post here), then please provide them via the Contact Us page, and we’ll continue to collate them into the current anonymised list available via the link on the website Q&A page.

Beeston & District Civic Society Talk

The slides from this week’s presentation to the Civic Society “Visions For Chetwynd & Toton” are available to view or download here. The GNSP was discussed as part of the talk.

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Doubt about Ratcliffe on Soar

www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cqxwzr11299o

Whilst the power station is outside our area, uncertainty will continue to cause problems.

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EMDevCo Update

The East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA) i.e. the new Mayoral Authority for Derby, Nottingham, Derbyshire & Nottinghamshire has issued a Press Release about the East Midlands Development Company (EMDevCo).

In summary, EMDevCo has been wound up with its projects passing to the EMCCA. This comes as no great surprise, as with the formation of the new Mayoral Authority in May this year there was no room for two bodies acting strategically for the region. How the original EMDevCo projects proceed, including for Toton & Chetwynd of course, remains to be seen. We hope to find out more in the coming weeks.

Beeston & District Civic Society Talk – Reminder

Members of the Forum Steering Group will be delivering a presentation and Q&A session to the Civic Society this coming Wednesday (13th November) at the Royal British Legion in Beeston entitled Visions for Toton & Chetwynd. Doors open at 6.45pm see here & here for details.

As always please do feel free to ask any questions you may have on this week’s latest bulletin or anything else via the Contact Us page, and we’ll do our best to answer them via the Questions and Answers page.

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Greater Nottingham Strategic Plan Consultation Opens 4th November

Further to our recent posts on 29th September & 5th October, Broxtowe Borough Council (along with Gedling and Rushcliffe Borough Councils and Nottingham City Council) will be publishing the Regulation 19 (Publication draft) of the Greater Nottingham Strategic Plan (the review of the current Aligned Core Strategy i.e. the Part 1 Local Plan) for consultation. This Strategic Development Plan will set out future development proposals over the next 18 years.

The Greater Nottingham Strategic Plan (GNSP) sets out how Broxtowe Borough Council and the other Councils intend to address issues such as the number and location of new homes required for a growing population, providing new jobs and infrastructure, tackling climate change, and protecting and enhancing the area’s heritage, open spaces and biodiversity, in a way that minimises the impact on the environment.  The GNSP has been approved by each partner Council, following consultation on earlier ‘Growth Options’ and ‘Preferred Approach’ documents. Most of the proposals included in the GNSP have been carried forward from the Aligned Core Strategy, although the GNSP allocates new development sites in Broxtowe Borough:

  • Extensions to existing proposed development sites at Toton and Chetwynd Barracks, principally for housing (as we reported to you on 29th September as above);
  • Land at the Former Bennerley Coal Disposal point, for large scale logistics development.

In Gedling Borough, it includes an extension to the existing proposed development site at Top Wighay Farm, for housing. In Nottingham City, it includes a new allocation covering the former Broadmarsh shopping centre, Maid Marian Way College and land to the east of Carrington Street, for a mix of uses including housing, commercial and offices. In Rushcliffe Borough, it includes a new allocation at the former Ratcliffe-on-Soar Power Station, for a mix of uses including energy generation and storage, advanced manufacturing and industrial, offices and large-scale logistics.

Before the GNSP is submitted to the Government for independent examination, there is a 6-week consultation period during which there is an opportunity for residents, businesses and other organisations, such as Town and Parish Councils and Neighbourhood Forums, to make comments on the soundness and legal compliance of the Plan, in line with Government guidance. The consultation will run from Monday 4th November 2024 until 5.00pm on Monday 16th December 2024.

The GNSP and supporting documents, along with details of how to submit representations can be found on the website of the Greater Nottingham Planning Partnership. See in particular:-  

  • Policy 4 The Green Belt
  • Policy 15 Transport Infrastructure Priorities
  • Policy 16 Blue & Green Infrastructure, Parks & Open Space
  • Policy 17 Biodiversity
  • Policy 21 Strategic Allocation Toton & Chetwynd Barracks
  • Appendix C Housing Trajectories
    However, these shouldn’t just be read in isolation. A summary of the GNSP is provided here.
    There are also a number of other consultation documents listed on the main website link above, together with background papers covering a range of topics including Green Belt, and wide ranging supporting evidence including Green Belt Review Methodology (plus its separate appendices).

    Copies and response forms will also be available at the Council Offices (Foster Avenue, Beeston) and at the following local libraries:
  • Beeston Library, Foster Avenue, Beeston, NG9 1AE
  • Inham Nook Library, Barn Croft, Chilwell, NG9 4HU
  • Toton Library, Stapleford Lane, Toton, NG9 6GA
    Further information is available from Broxtowe Borough Council’s Planning Policy Team by emailing policy@broxtowe.gov.uk or by telephoning 0115 917 7777 (ask for Planning Policy).

There is clearly a lot to take in, best tackled in bite size chunks! Please do make your own individual representations, but we are still keen to receive your views so that we have a wide range of opinions on which to base the Forum’s response to the consultation.

Please provide your comments via the Contact Us page, and we’ll continue to collate them into the current anonymised list available via the link on the website Q&A page.

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Beeston & District Civic Society Winter Talks

This is to let you know about the Beeston & District Civic Society Winter Talks programme which is already underway. Click on the image below for more information:-

You will notice that members of the Forum Steering Group will be presenting to the Society on Wednesday 13th November and we will remind you again nearer the time.

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Chetwynd Community Energy Project

Last week we told you about the Funding to develop a Business Case for a Community Energy Project and invited you to register for Building a Net Zero Future: Co-Designing Sustainable Neighbourhoods at the Village Hotel on Monday 21st October.

To explain further:The Neighbourhood Plan adopted by Broxtowe Borough Council earlier this year includes a Policy for Community Energy with an aspiration for the area to be Energy Positive. We believe we can start this through a “Rooftop Solar PV project”. The UK Government estimates that the average household in the UK consumes around 3,000kWh of electricity per annum. Modelling households in the area suggests that the average amount of power that could be generated by Solar PV is around 6,000kWh. In other words if half the homes in the area had solar PV, the area would generate as much electricity as it consumes.

The Funding is to generate a Business Case that:

  1. Verifies these numbers;
  2. Identifies how much it would cost on a house by house basis;
  3. Identifies how much it would earn on a house by house basis;
  4. Identifies how we can generate the funds to take on such an ambitious project

We need your help to develop the Business Case.
Register your interest in attending the Workshop or if you can’t make it but would be interested in contributing/following what happens contact ian.chetwynd.cic@gmail.com.

Chetwynd Community Interest Company

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The Chetwynd Forum’s CIC is Awarded Funding to prepare for Local Community Solar Energy Network.

Chetwynd ,Toton and Chilwell CIC.( Chetwynd CIC Ltd )

The Community Interest Company (CIC) started by the Chetwynd Neighbourhood Forum, has been awarded a regional grant to prepare the business case and define technical research for a Community Solar Energy Network which will be owned and run locally for the benefit of the community. 

The award prepares the ‘startup phase’ for a business that aims to benefit our area first, but in time could help other East Midlands communities to take a step forward as part of a Solar Energy Community and Net Zero future.

Ian Ward Director of the Chetwynd CIC said, ‘the Neighbourhood Plan sets out our Zero Carbon ambitions and it’s a little ironic, that in the month the UK’s last coal fired power station at Ratcliffe-on-Soar closes for good – it’s the community in its shadow that begins the journey to make the most of emerging Solar networks for the benefit of the local community.’

The area already benefits from initiatives taken by individual homeowners however, we know many more new homes will soon be built, and we are determined to reduce the Area’s carbon footprint and devise a business that benefits the community. Whilst reducing the costs of energy for residents, we see this as an investment for future generations.  Ian said, ‘It’s a chance to do it ourselves and create somethings special in our area. That makes us determined to be successful’.

Can You help – We are all local volunteers and we are looking for help in several professional fields – Financial / Legal / Technical to help establish the business. Please get in touch.  A ‘Building a Net Zero Future’ workshop is being held at the Village Hotel on the 21st Oct 2024 – if you are interested to attend and to find out more, please book your place here : Net Zero Workshop

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Broxtowe Cabinet Discussion of the Greater Nottingham Strategic Plan

Following on from last week’s post letting you know that the Greater Nottingham Strategic Plan (GNSP) was to be discussed at the Broxtowe Borough Council’s Cabinet meeting last Tuesday (1st October), please see the video link below to that part of the meeting, in case you missed it. The discussion concludes at around 1 hour and 20 minutes (see the timer at the bottom of the screen). It starts at about 29 minutes into the meeting, which is where this clip begins:-

Cabinet Meeting 01/10/2024 (click on the image above to play the video)

The key points to take from the meeting are:-

1) Cabinet approved unanimously that the GNSP should commence its Regulation 19 (Pre-Submission) consultation. Rushcliffe Borough Council had previously given its consent, and similar approval is awaited later this month from Nottingham City Council & Gedling Borough Council. Assuming all agree, then the statutory 6 week consultation period will in all likelihood start in November (date tbc), and this will be widely publicised;

2) The Leader of the Council (Milan Radulovic) will do his best to object to “piecemeal” applications for the Toton & Chetwynd site, as it needs to be a holistic development to ensure all the community facilities, infrastructure etc. are built in the appropriate locations;

3) A suggestion was made that the Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) figure should be increased from the minimum statutory 10% as some other parts of the country are requiring 20% or 30%, i.e. Broxtowe should aim to be more ambitious.

4) It was reiterated by Milan that the green belt land between Toton & Chilwell is under pressure – hence his desire for a “Country Park” to ensure that it is not all built on, and there is sufficient and linked green infrastructure for the area as a whole.

We are still keen to receive your views so that we have a wide range of opinions on which to base the Forum’s response to the forthcoming consultation.

Please provide your comments via the Contact Us page, and we’ll continue to collate them into the current anonymised list available via the link on the website Q&A page.

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