𝗦𝗞𝗛𝗚𝗕 𝗨𝗣𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘

𝙎𝙃𝙊𝙍𝙏 𝙍𝙀𝘼𝘿

𝟭. 𝘿𝙚𝙘𝙞𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙙𝙚𝙡𝙖𝙮𝙨 𝙚𝙨𝙘𝙖𝙡𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝘽𝙤𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 𝙎𝙤𝙡𝙞𝙘𝙞𝙩𝙤𝙧

On 14 July, SKHGB asked AVBC for the recorded reasons behind the repeated changes to the anticipated decision date for planning application AVA/2025/0587, but its response did not properly answer our request. The Council has now referred the matter to the Borough Solicitor and agreed to reconsider its response, the searches carried out and whether any further information should be disclosed. This review should be completed within 40 working days, and we will update residents when we receive the outcome.

𝟮. 𝙐𝙥𝙙𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙉𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝙋𝙡𝙖𝙣𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙋𝙤𝙡𝙞𝙘𝙮 𝙁𝙧𝙖𝙢𝙚𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙠 - 𝙙𝙚𝙩𝙖𝙞𝙡𝙚𝙙 𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙚𝙩𝙚𝙙

SKHGB has completed its detailed review of the updated National Planning Policy Framework and what it means for this application. We will shortly submit our findings to AVBC, explaining the new tests that apply and asking the Council to require Wheeldon to show how its proposal meets them. The changes affect parts of the Green Belt and grey belt assessment, but they do not remove our main concerns; we will also examine Wheeldon’s updated Planning Statement when it is received.

𝟯. 𝙎𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙞𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙩 𝙡𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙨𝙘𝙖𝙥𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙞𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙙

SKHGB has commissioned an independent landscape consultancy to review Wheeldon’s evidence and our own landscape objections. It will identify gaps or unsupported conclusions, check whether accepted policies and assessment methods have been followed, and examine the effects on the rural setting and the separation between Kilburn and Horsley. Its report, expected in early September, will help us focus on our strongest points and provide AVBC with independent professional evidence.

𝟰. 𝙉𝙚𝙬 𝙢𝙖𝙮𝙤𝙧𝙖𝙡 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙣𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙥𝙤𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙨 - 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙢𝙚𝙖𝙣 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙎𝙆𝙃𝙂𝘽?

The Government is consulting on powers that would require applications for more than 150 homes to be referred to the regional mayor, who could leave the decision with the council, direct refusal or take over and decide the application using the same planning policies and evidence. As this proposal is for up to 200 homes in the Green Belt, it could qualify when the powers begin in early 2027, although it is not yet clear whether applications already awaiting a decision will be included. Amber Valley’s strong housing performance, Claire Ward’s support for brownfield development and green spaces, and wider concerns about transport and infrastructure could help our case, but the mayor could also approve the application; SKHGB will therefore consider responding to the consultation and engaging directly with the mayor.

𝟱. 𝗣𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲

Every share helps more local people understand this application and what it could mean for Kilburn and Horsley. If you value clear, factual updates, please share this post and invite friends, neighbours and family members to follow our page. Please also tell us if there is anything you would like us to cover in a future update.

𝙇𝙊𝙉𝙂 𝙍𝙀𝘼𝘿

𝟭. 𝘿𝙚𝙘𝙞𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙙𝙚𝙡𝙖𝙮𝙨 𝙚𝙨𝙘𝙖𝙡𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝘽𝙤𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 𝙎𝙤𝙡𝙞𝙘𝙞𝙩𝙤𝙧

On 14 July, SKHGB submitted a request under the Environmental Information Regulations 2004 for the recorded reasons behind the repeated extensions to the anticipated decision date for planning application AVA/2025/0587.

AVBC’s original response did not properly address what we had asked for, so we requested a formal reconsideration.

The Council has now acknowledged problems with its original response and referred the matter to the Borough Solicitor. It has agreed to review the response, the searches it carried out and every part of our request, including whether any further recorded information is held and should be disclosed.

AVBC has said that it will complete this reconsideration within the statutory 40-working-day period.

We still do not have the explanations or records we requested, but the Council’s acknowledgement that its original response needs to be reviewed is an important step. We will examine the outcome carefully and update residents when it is received.

𝟮. 𝙐𝙥𝙙𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙉𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝙋𝙡𝙖𝙣𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙋𝙤𝙡𝙞𝙘𝙮 𝙁𝙧𝙖𝙢𝙚𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙠 - 𝙙𝙚𝙩𝙖𝙞𝙡𝙚𝙙 𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙚𝙩𝙚𝙙

Last week, we reported that SKHGB was reviewing the updated National Planning Policy Framework and assessing what it could mean for planning application AVA/2025/0587. That detailed review is now complete.

We will submit our findings to AVBC within the next few days as a Supplementary Planning Representation and publish the document on the SKHGB website.

It explains how we believe the application should be assessed under the new national policies, identifies the tests that now apply and asks AVBC to require Wheeldon to show clearly how its proposal meets them.

The new framework changes parts of the assessment, particularly those relating to Green Belt and grey belt. However, it does not remove the main planning concerns about this development.

We are also waiting for Wheeldon’s updated Supporting Planning Statement. We will review that carefully and report back to residents once it has been received.

𝟯. 𝙎𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙞𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙩 𝙡𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙨𝙘𝙖𝙥𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙞𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙙

SKHGB has commissioned a specialist landscape consultancy to carry out an independent professional review of planning application AVA/2025/0587.

The consultancy will:

· Review Wheeldon’s main landscape and visual documents, relevant consultee responses and the landscape sections of SKHGB’s strategic objection

· Identify weaknesses, omissions or conclusions that are not properly supported by evidence

· Assess whether Wheeldon’s work complies with relevant planning policy and accepted landscape-assessment practice

· Advise which of SKHGB’s landscape objections are strongest, which may need amending and which should not be pursued

· Produce a written report setting out its findings

Landscape and visual effects are material planning considerations, but any objections must be supported by clear evidence and sound professional analysis.

The review will provide AVBC with a specialist assessment that is independent of Wheeldon’s work. In particular, it will examine whether the effects on landscape character, the rural setting and the separation between Kilburn and Horsley have been properly assessed.

It will also help SKHGB focus on the strongest objections, correct or withdraw any weaker points and submit further professional evidence where justified.

We expect to receive the report in early September and will update residents once we have assessed its findings.

𝟰. 𝙉𝙚𝙬 𝙢𝙖𝙮𝙤𝙧𝙖𝙡 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙣𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙥𝙤𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙨 - 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙢𝙚𝙖𝙣 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙎𝙆𝙃𝙂𝘽?

The Government is consulting on new powers that would allow regional mayors to intervene in major planning applications.

Under the proposals, applications for more than 150 homes would have to be referred to the regional mayor. Subject to the proposed legal tests, the mayor could:

· Leave the council to determine the application

· Direct the council to refuse it

· Call it in and decide it directly

If an application were called in, the mayor would become the decision-maker and apply the same local and national planning policies as the council. All representations already submitted, including residents’ objections and consultee responses, would be passed to the mayor for consideration.

As this application proposes up to 200 homes, it would exceed the proposed 150-home threshold. As a major development in the Green Belt, it could also fall within a separate proposed Green Belt category.

Importantly, these proposals would not simply give the mayor another route to approve development. The mayor could also direct that an application be refused where there are sound planning reasons.

There are several potentially helpful points for SKHGB:

· Until the new East Midlands Spatial Development Strategy - a regional blueprint for where homes, jobs and infrastructure should be located across Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire - is adopted, the mayor would have to consider whether Amber Valley is meeting its housing targets. This strategy will be a regional blueprint for where homes, jobs and infrastructure should be located across Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire. Amber Valley’s 5.80-year housing supply and strong recent housing delivery would support our case that this Green Belt site is not needed to address a failure to provide enough housing

· East Midlands Mayor Claire Ward has publicly emphasised brownfield housing, sustainable locations, adequate infrastructure and the protection of green spaces. These priorities are broadly consistent with SKHGB’s position

· A regional assessment could give greater weight to wider issues such as car dependency, inadequate public transport, pressure on infrastructure and the cumulative loss of Green Belt

· The consultation gives SKHGB an opportunity to argue that major Green Belt applications should be covered from the first day the new powers take effect

There is also a risk: the mayor could call in an application and approve it. The proposed system would therefore create an additional decision-making route, not an automatic safeguard against development.

The Government expects the powers to begin in early 2027. However, it has not yet said whether they would apply only to new applications or also to applications already awaiting a decision. We therefore cannot assume that AVA/2025/0587 would be covered.

SKHGB will examine the consultation and consider whether to submit a formal response and engage directly with the East Midlands Mayor.

𝟱. 𝗣𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲

Every share helps more local people stay informed and involved.

SKHGB is already reaching a significant number of households across Kilburn and Horsley, but many residents may still be unaware of the scale of this application and what it could mean for our area.

If you value clear, factual updates, please share this post and invite friends, neighbours and family members to follow the page.

Please also let us know if there is anything you would particularly like us to cover in a future update.