Newark campaigners gather to protest 117-home development at Highfields School, Balderton

A protest group's campaign to stop a housing development and prevent the loss of protected trees is gaining momentum.

Campaigners from London Road Guardians and Protect Newark's Green Spaces gathered at Highfields School in Balderton on Saturday.

They were handing out leaflets and informing residents of the plans by Avant Homes for 117 homes on land next to the school, which would see the felling of five individual and three groups of TPO (tree preservation order) trees.

The plans have been refused by Newark and Sherwood District Council's planning committee a handful of times, with this resubmission having more houses than the previous.

Campaigners have said the development would be detrimental to life, highway safety and trees among other things, and are calling on residents to make an objection to the council by March 7.

Avant Homes said the two, three, four and five-bedroom homes would have a contemporary interpretation of traditional forms set within a strong green landscape of existing trees and proposed new street trees, hedges and open space.

Council documents read: “The school grounds are characterised by a large number of mature trees, a number of which are subject to a Tree Preservation Order.

“Some trees will be removed to facilitate the access road but wherever possible existing trees have been retained and create an attractive approach to the site.”

Part of the land was once used as a sports field for the school and Sport England stated it needed to be satisfied the benefits to the school would outweigh the loss of playing field.

Overall, the developer said the application was sensitive to the requirements of both the school and established neighbouring residential to assimilate well.

Johno Lee, district and county councillor for Balderton, said he had been campaigning against the development since its first application and asked for anyone opposing it to work together to ensure it doesn't go ahead.

“Myself, Betty Brooks, David Lloyd, and Balderton Parish Council have been against this application since day one and have been successful up to this point in fighting against this unsustainable development," he said.

“I will carry on fighting against this development at every stage."

County councillor for Newark Sam Smith said he was also against the plans.

"The residents whose properties surround the Highfields School site, which I represent on Nottinghamshire County Council, have expressed objections to plans for housing to be developed at the rear of the school site," he wrote on Facebook.

"I objected to the last application, which was refused by Newark and Sherwood District Council, and I object to these plans too. I have again expressed concerns to Nottinghamshire County Council’s highways department regarding the impact new housing here would have by congesting London Road and the surrounding area.

"County council highways officers are assessing this and will be commenting on the application shortly. I’ll share them once they have been finalised. Their comments will then be debated by the district council planning committee along with the rest of the application.

"The committee will make the final decision and have, so far, continually rejected all plans for the site. I will continue to do all I can to support the views of my residents."

If you wish to make a comment on the application, you can do so at buff.ly/3srSvX1