Member Article

Mansfield quarry proposals include major environmental features

LONGSTANDING proposals for the development of Mansfield’s Gregory Quarry site in Nottinghamshire are soon to be determined by Mansfield District Council.

With quarrying having ceased several years ago, the site has fallen into neglect and has most recently been an area for drug abuse and anti-social behaviour.

The proposals now submitted to the council’s planning department would see the development of more than 200 high quality new homes and apartments and deliver a substantial upgrade of the wider quarry site, with open spaces, landscaped habitats, water features and a family play area.

Following extensive consultation, the proposals have taken on board environmental concerns, aiming to deliver an important biodiversity element to the project with the introduction of bird nesting, bat roosts, other wildlife features and an overall biodiversity net gain.

The project will also open up and improve accessibility to the path situated on the old railway Viaduct and providing safe access into and around the Local Nature Reserve.

In addition, the introduction of a pedestrian footpath along the nature reserve side of Quarry Lane where currently none exists will significantly improve safety.

Lee O’Connor, who’s family operated the working stone quarry, has worked with specialist consultants in creating plans for a sympathetic scheme to re-purpose the now redundant land.

“Following extensive talks with council planning officers, environmental consultants working in close collaboration with local architects, we have created a scheme which aims to take this redundant stone quarry and transform it into an exceptional residential environment which both embraces ecology and needs of the wider community,” Lee said.

“Having owned and operated the site for near 20 years we are emotionally invested in ensuring that its evolution from a working stone quarry into the next chapter of its story is achieved without compromise.

“We are totally committed to ensuring that whatever happens the legacy here is only one which delivers enhancement and we as a family will be with this project all the way through to its conclusion ensuring that at every stage the reality remains true to the vision.

“The proposed design will provide safe open spaces and routes where pedestrians and cyclists have priority, with cars restricted to dedicated off street parking.

“This project is about designing a seamless transition between the natural and the residential environment.”

Lee insisted that concerns on the grounds of environmental damage did not add up when balanced with the commitment to delivering a minimum 10 per cent biodiversity net gain.

“The facts are that this gain need not be focused solely on the footprint of the development but can be deployed within the wider area of Mansfield, thus benefiting Mansfield as a whole,” he said.

“With the specific biodiversity net gain linked to this development the local authority will have cash funds made available for deployment on programmes such as tree planting, cleaning and improving river quality, intruding areas of wild flowers and much much more.

“There will always be differences of opinion but change is not by default bad and with this project change is most certainly for the good and ultimate benefit of Mansfield.

“There is no better stimulus in creating positivity about a place than new investment and with our plans to have investment in excess of £50m this proposed development should certainly create a significant amount of positive interest in Mansfield as an exciting destination to invest.

“As we look to post pandemic recovery, Mansfield needs to be shouting louder than other areas in attracting that much needed investment.

“Projects like Gregory Quarry are important in building confidence, attracting and supporting wider investment to the Mansfield area.

“When evaluating an area for investment, development and regeneration activity is crucial and if there are exciting projects involving significant investment being undertaken, then a snow ball effect will follow.

Encouraging and nurturing a positive dynamic will be especially important when considered in the context of future projects such as the plans for regeneration of the town centre.

“A healthy and vibrant town centre requires an inflow of disposable income and projects such as Gregory Quarry are exactly what will be needed to support the long term health and prosperity of businesses within the town centre and Mansfield as a whole.

“We hope that the application can be positively determined by the end of the summer and the views of the residents of Mansfield would be welcomed.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by John Highfield .