Proposals submitted over the summer, for a substantial new retirement complex at the heart of Ruddington’s Conservation Area in Manor Park, have been approved by Rushcliffe Borough Council planners.
Churchill Retirement Living can now go ahead with its development of 43 apartments for older people, plus a guest apartment and communal facilities along with car parking and landscaping. 29 of these sheltered apartments will be single bedroomed, whilst 14 will have two bedrooms. The application replaced previously approved plans for a 40 unit retirement complex on the same site which had lapsed.
This new complex will sit in the middle of an historic part of Ruddington, surrounded by some of our village’s most opulent and expensive houses. The application was eventually given the nod at last night’s Borough Council Planning Meeting – following one and a half hours of heated discussion – in spite of an objection by Ruddington Parish Council , 25 public objections and serious concerns expressed by local residents and two Ruddington Borough Councillors.
Ruddington Parish Council noted: “This piece of land is the highest point of Manor Park and a 3 storey building will be too imposing and excessive in this specific location when compared to the Grade II listed buildings nearby. The plans are too intensive for the development area indicated and there is insufficient parking allocated for the amount of units, staff and visitors. Although this does not impact on the public highway this will still impact on the surrounding residents as well as parents and schoolchildren attending the nearby school.”
Borough Councillor Jennifer Walker commented: “I object due to the height of the proposed build, which will impact the privacy of the residents around Manor Park – and it will then become the tallest building in all of Ruddington, surpassing the church!” She added: “The developers will also require some sort of provision for the upkeep of the private road and have yet not had any discussions with the Residents Association about its upkeep or lighting (of which there is none). I am also interested to see how developers will manage the increased traffic during the building phases, especially around school hours.”
Borough Councillor Mike Gaunt, who attended the meeting along with concerned Manor Park residents, spoke to outline these concerns. He told us: “I also mentioned the access to the site for disabled and elderly residents, as the pavement is part of a private road and is gravel and this is a real concern for future residents wishing to walk or travel along these pavements into the village. I then mentioned parking as only half of the residents will have parking spaces and visitors will be compelled to park along neighbouring side streets. I explained that as this was the only route into James Peacock School, at peak times the road is full of cars, and this would only be compounded as a problem by increasing the number of residents in Manor Park so drastically.” Cllr Gaunt also pointed to traffic safety concerns: “The pavements force parents onto the road during the school run and they could be endangered by further increases in traffic along the street” he said.
Despite all these issues, prompting an unusually long debate at last night’s meeting, Councillors eventually determined the application in accordance with the recommendation. This was that: “The Executive Manager – Communities is authorised to grant planning permission subject to the prior signing of a Section 106 agreement”. In addition to the conditions set out in the report, committee members also resolved to add a further condition requiring the submission of a scheme for the provision of electric vehicle charging points. There was also a change to condition three in that report changing reference to “persons of state pensionable age” to “persons over the age of 60”.
Developers will use the existing access off Manor Park situated along the northern boundary of the site (below) which is adjacent to Grade II listed South Manor.
A report by ECUS Environmental Consultants stated that: “Development would be set back within its own plot with a stone wall fronting onto Manor Park. Development along Manor Park is characterised by coarse grain development set within their own plots behind a strong boundary, usually a stone wall. It is considered appropriate that the development takes reference from development along this street by containing a building which is set back within its own plot away from the street behind a strong boundary wall.”
Churchill’s in-house architects Planning Issues Limited also seem to have taken heed of further advice, which reads: “The development will utilise a mixture of red brick, ivory render and black mock panelling, reflecting the surrounding material palette. This ensures that the development will be in keeping with the character of Manor Park blending into the character of the streetscape and thus the character of this part of the Ruddington Conservation Area.”
The prime 0.89 hectare building plot has remained empty and unused ever since the former convalescent home on the site was demolished. However, because the land has remained vacant for so long, a considerable amount of scrub and a number of mature trees will now need to be removed before any construction work can begin.
You can view all the documents associated with this approved planning application 19/01616/FUL >>HERE<<.
