1.LEGAL ADVICE ON GREY BELT

We have now received a formal response from the planning barrister we engaged on the subject of grey belt in the Green Belt. The advice is very helpful and reassuringly aligns with our key messages. In summary:

• The Local Plan still carries real weight and should guide the decision (remember our site is not marked for development in the new Local Plan)

• Amber Valley has enough housing land identified, so there’s no clear need to approve this site

• The proposal clashes with key Local Plan policies on where and how development should happen

• 200 homes is far too big for Kilburn and doesn’t reflect the size of the village

• The site is not a sustainable location, with limited shops, services and public transport

• Serious highway concerns remain, with no clear solution from the developer

• The plans don’t yet show proper green space for residents

• There is a strong case that this application is premature and should wait for proper planning review

• Approving it now would cut across the borough’s wider plan for future development

• Decisions like this should be made through a full Local Plan process, not one-off applications

• Overall, there are multiple strong planning reasons why this scheme should be refused

2. STRATEGIC OBJECTION UPDATE – IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENT

Today, we have formally submitted a revised and significantly strengthened version of our strategic objection document - “The Case for Refusal: Proposed Development on Green Belt Land at Kilburn and Horsley” - to Amber Valley Borough Council, our local MP, and our borough councillors.

This updated document replaces our January 2026 submission and reflects major developments since then, including the formal adoption of the Amber Valley Local Plan (2022–2040) - a critical shift that materially strengthens the policy position against this proposal.

The revised version also incorporates independent legal and transport planning advice, alongside a more robust and clearly structured planning case. In particular, it:

• Confirms that the Local Plan is now fully up-to-date, removing any suggestion that outdated policy could justify development

• Embeds Counsel’s legal opinion, reinforcing that decision-making must follow the development plan unless exceptional justification exists

• Clarifies that so-called “grey belt” arguments are non-statutory and carry limited weight

• Strengthens the case that this proposal conflicts directly with the settlement hierarchy and spatial strategy

• Exposes ongoing infrastructure shortfalls - including schools, healthcare, transport and utilities - with clearer links to national policy expectations

• Concludes unequivocally that this is not a finely balanced case and refusal is required

We will make the full updated document available on our website (skhgb.co.uk) in the coming days.

As always, we remain committed to presenting a clear, evidence-based and policy-led case on behalf of the community.

3. HOMES FOR EVERYONE

SKHGB supports the ‘Homes for Everyone’ campaign, in particular:

Brownfield

Build on brownfield land first, not our Green Belt. Evidence shows this is entirely achievable, with capacity for at least 1.2 million homes across 23,000 brownfield sites. There is also major untapped potential above car parks and supermarket land, offering hundreds of thousands more homes without sacrificing countryside.

Empty Homes

It is indefensible that 1.55 million homes sit empty across England and Wales while families are in temporary accommodation. Around 70,000 of these are owned by councils and housing associations and are often left unused or derelict. Renovating empty homes is quicker and around 20% cheaper than building new ones, providing an immediate solution to the housing crisis.

Unbuilt Planning Permissions

There are already more than one million homes with planning permission that have not been built. This undermines the argument that more land, including Green Belt, must be released for development. Developers should be held to account, with penalties where permissions are granted but not acted upon.

Call To Action

Please email your MP to support this campaign. Full details and guidance can be found here: https://homesforeveryone.org/.

4.LOCAL MP CONTACTED – UPDATE

We still await a response from our local MP, Linsey Farnsworth, to request continued support ahead of the upcoming decision. While recognising the sensitivities of her position, residents are seeking greater clarity on how she can represent the community more fully on this issue.

5.SPRING WALK FOR THE GREEN BELT – JOIN US NEXT WEEKEND

Saturday 18 April 2026

Start time: 8.30am

Meet at: The Hunters Arms Car Park, Church Street, Kilburn

Join us for a relaxed early morning walk across the Green Belt land we are working to protect, as part of the National Day of Action for Nature.

Events to protect the green belt are taking place across the UK on this day, so please come along and show your support for our area.

This free, family-friendly event is open to everyone. The route heads over to Horsley, where breakfast cobs and refreshments will be available to purchase at The Coach & Horses, before returning to Kilburn.

Expected finish: around 11.30am

If you are planning on coming along, please comment below with how many people are in your party, so that we can give The Coach & Horses a rough idea on expected numbers