Issue - meetings

RESOLVED that 1) the Rood Lane site be removed from the Bolsover Homes build programme,

2) future utilisation of the site be subject to a further Executive report in considering,

     a) allocating the site for Biodiversity Net Gain purposes,

     b) utilisation for leisure provision.

Executive considered a detailed report presented by the Portfolio Holder for Growth, which sought Members approval to release Rood Lane, Clowne from the Bolsover Homes build programme and to agree future use of the site.

Land tenure and access had obstructed the site’s development potential particularly as two existing Council properties would need to be demolished to establish suitable access along with a strip of land which would need to be subject to a compulsory purchase order (CPO).

One option would be to use the site for Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) which was now a mandatory requirement for major developments in England.  A BNG value would need to be established for the site and involve an evaluation by Derbyshire Wildlife Trust (DWT) which would take approximately three months to conclude.

An alternative option would be to consider the use of the land for leisure purposes such as a sports playing pitch or formal green space.  The Council had recently conducted an infrastructure study, and the evidence work (February 2025) identified that Clowne continued to have a shortfall in provision of both formal and semi-formal green space for its population.

The Leader noted that she and the Deputy Leader had visited the site, and both agreed with the options put forward in the report.

Councillor Hiney-Saunders welcomed the report and noted that it would give the residents in the area some certainty on what would happen with the land.

Moved by Councillor Tom Munro and seconded by Councillor Rob Hiney-Saunders

RESOLVED that: 1) the Rood Lane site be removed from the Bolsover Homes build programme,

2)    a report be presented to a future Executive meeting for alternate utilisation of the site, subject to considering;

a)    allocating the site for Biodiversity Net Gain purposes

b)    utilisation for leisure provision.

Reasons for Recommendation

To release Rood Lane from the Bolsover Homes new build scheme and consider alternate utilisation of the site to ensure the most effective future use of the land.

Considering alternate future use of the site would facilitate bringing an existing vacant Council property back in to use and generation of rentable income to the Housing Revenue Account (HRA).

Alternative Options and Reasons for Rejection

Members could choose to develop Rood Lane, Clowne however, this would mean that a compulsory purchase order would need to be undertaken, as well as resolving access issues to the site, securing suitable BNG elsewhere and demolition of 2No existing Council housing units to establish suitable access.