𝗦𝗞𝗛𝗚𝗕 𝗨𝗣𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘

1, 𝗞𝗲𝗲𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘃𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗱

You will start to see some new posters around the villages very soon.

We know that much of our communication is through Facebook and our website, so we wanted to make sure we also reach residents who do not use Facebook.

The message is simple: we’re still here, still watching, still working and still challenging.

The posters cost less than £20, which we think is a small but worthwhile cost to help keep more residents informed. We will also provide an update in each quarterly edition of the Kilburn Community News.

2. 𝗛𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗹𝗲𝘆 𝗥𝗼𝗮𝗱: 𝗮 𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲

Many residents will already have experienced the disruption caused by the current Severn Trent roadworks on Horsley Road.

While these are temporary works, they provide a clear real-time example of how vulnerable this route already is. Even short-term disruption can quickly lead to delays, congestion, difficult access and frustration for residents, drivers and pedestrians.

That is directly relevant to the proposed development. If approved, residents would not be facing a few days of inconvenience, but a major construction project lasting around five years, with construction traffic, deliveries, contractors’ vehicles, plant and machinery using roads that are already constrained.

And once built, the development would add around 3,000 additional daily vehicle movements to the local road network.

The current roadworks are not the same as a housing development, but they do illustrate an important point - our local roads have limited resilience. When disruption happens, residents feel it immediately.

Short-term roadworks are inconvenient. A five-year build programme followed by permanent additional traffic is something else entirely.

That is why SKHGB continues to press for the traffic, access, highways and construction impacts of this application to be properly assessed before any decision is made.

3. 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝘁’𝘀 𝗱𝘂𝗲: 𝗔𝗩𝗕𝗖 𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗱𝘀 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗶𝘀𝗲𝘀

This week, the Derby Telegraph reported on an important planning decision by Amber Valley Borough Council.

A housing developer had asked AVBC to remove previous legal commitments to pay towards school improvements and public open space maintenance on a housing scheme at Sleetmoor Lane, Swanwick.

Those commitments were agreed when planning permission was granted. Due to inflation and continued non-payment, the sums had reportedly risen.

The developer argued that the scheme was no longer viable and that paying the agreed contributions would reduce its profit below the generally accepted level.

𝗔𝗩𝗕𝗖 𝗿𝗲𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗿𝗴𝘂𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝗞𝗛𝗚𝗕 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵.

The principle is simple: when developers make commitments to secure planning permission, those commitments must mean something. They should not be treated as optional extras that can be reduced, delayed or removed later if the developer makes less profit than expected.

AVBC’s officers reportedly put it clearly: “The planning system does not operate to guarantee profit levels.” That is exactly right.

Development carries commercial risk. That risk should sit with the developer. It should not be transferred to local residents, local schools, local roads, public services or future communities.

If approved, the proposed development in Kilburn and Horsley would depend on extensive future mitigation and future commitments to make it acceptable in planning terms, including highways, footpaths, active travel, infrastructure, services and community impact.

If those measures are necessary to make the development acceptable, they must be clear, legally secure, fully funded, deliverable and enforceable 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗱.

We are pleased to see AVBC holding a developer to its commitments elsewhere in the borough.

The same principle should apply in Kilburn and Horsley.

4. 𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗳𝗶𝗲𝗹𝗱 𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁

We’re watching with interest the actions of the East Midlands Combined County Authority on brownfield housing. (This is not a party-political point, it is a practical planning point.)

EMCCA is actively promoting the use of brownfield land - previously developed, derelict or under-used sites - to help deliver new homes across Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire. Its Brownfield Housing Fund has attracted significant interest, with schemes being assessed on how quickly they can proceed and the impact they could have.

SKHGB has never argued that no homes should be built. Our position is that new housing must be in the right place, supported by the right infrastructure, and justified by proper evidence.

Where public bodies are now actively working to unlock brownfield sites, regenerate under-used land and bring forward homes in places with existing infrastructure and community connections, that should be taken seriously in local planning decisions.

Brownfield delivery will not solve every housing issue on its own. But it is an important part of the answer, and it should be properly explored before irreversible pressure is placed on Green Belt land between existing villages.

For Kilburn and Horsley, the key question remains simple: before approving major development on sensitive Green Belt land, has every reasonable alternative been properly considered?

We will continue to follow EMCCA’s brownfield work closely, because it could be highly relevant to the wider planning picture across Amber Valley and the East Midlands.

5. 𝗣𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲

Every share helps more local people stay informed and engaged.

SKHGB is already reaching a significant number of households across Kilburn and Horsley, but there are still many residents who may not yet be aware of the scale or implications of this application.

If you value clear, factual updates on what is happening and what it could mean for our area, please help widen the reach by sharing this post and inviting friends, neighbours and family to follow the page.