Tories slam “unsustainable” approach to new housing in Derbyshire town – with nearly 99% of all plans approved

The Bolsover Conservatives have called on Bolsover District Council (BDC) to change their planning approach, after 98.4% of proposals were given the green light in 2022 – which the Tory group said was the second highest level of approval of any council in the UK.

The group said that many local residents have expressed concerns that the council’s planning process priorities housing developers over local communities – increasing pressure on public services.

Ahead of the local elections in May, the Bolsover Conservatives have pledged to end what they described as the influx of new housing without proper investment in communities across the district. The group said their plans would focus on supporting applications that will improve the provision of doctors surgeries, road improvements and school places.

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Carol Wood, Conservative candidate for the Bolsover South ward on BDC, said that the council needed to alter its planning process to reduce the number of new housing developments in the district – relieving the pressure on local facilities and services.

“The unsustainable approach to house building here has to end. We’ve got developments like Bolsover North where not only is there no new road to the site, but the main access route, Oxcroft Lane, is a single lane track. It’s a nightmare for local residents and creates a great strain on our public services.

“A lot of the new housing has been positive for the area and brought lots of good people into the district, but the current approach is making it harder to get a doctor’s appointment or a school place. We need a radical rethink of what BDC is doing.

“It’s strange that the council wants to brag about its ‘computer says yes’ decision making process on planning. Accepting nearly every application isn’t something that BDC should be bragging about, it shows they are accepting nearly everything, irrespective of the consequences. Our communities deserve better.”

A BDC spokesperson said: “The cross-party planning committee (which includes Conservative, Community Independent, Independent and Labour councillors) work within the government’s guidelines and frameworks when it comes to dealing with planning legislation and applications, which includes how much of the Section 106 monies are allocated to improving community facilities.

“We prefer to work with developers before any applications are submitted so that we can ensure only high quality and sustainable development in the right place is put before planning committee for them to decide upon.

“Our Planning service offers all applicants the opportunity to engage with us a pre-application stage. Thereafter, through positive and pro-active negotiations at the planning application stage we are able to secure any necessary changes/amendments to all scales of development proposals, and that ensures a higher proportion of planning applications can be supported through to a positive recommendation and decision at the first time of asking.”