Campaign to protect Newark's green spaces presents its 1,770-strong petition to Newark and Sherwood District Council

A council has put on hold planning permission to extend a Newark carpark following a campaign to protect green spaces.

A petition signed by 1,770 people was presented to Newark and Sherwood District Council’s full council meeting, which asked that the planning committee’s decision in November to grant planning permission for 36 new carparking spaces behind the former registrar’s office on Baldertongate be reversed.

The council voted unanimously to delay any further progress with regards to the application so the scheme could be revisited.

The planning permission included demolition of four mature trees, which petitioners say goes against the district council’s Cleaner, Safer And Greener campaign.

The petition is part of a larger campaign to protect Newark’s green spaces.

Members of Newark Civic Trust, Newark Sports Association and the Green Party have labelled the movement Protect Newark’s Green Spaces.

Julia Smith, who presented the petition to full council said that Newark Civil Trust did a survey on town centre carparks in November.

The survey looked at 950 spaces in five Newark town centre carparks on a Saturday. The survey found that the carparks were working at a 62% capacity because there were 358 empty spaces.

Julia Smith said if all 36 planned spaces were used to full capacity it would create 26,280 additional traffic movements per annum.

The petition asked the full council to put an immediate halt to any site work planned so that a full review could be carried out.

It also asked the council to form a working party, which includes public participation as well as professional people with relevant experience.

The petition’s main aim was to reverse the planning consent so the green space, and the four mature trees growing in it, could be preserved.

Julia said; “Newark and Sherwood District Council’s full council received our petition of 1,770 signatures favourably.

“I’m hoping to receive information requested on the business case for the car park under Freedom of Information.

“While I do appreciate decisions made in public office have to be a balancing act, I still believe that the planning consent obtained in November 2018 should be overturned in favour of sustainability and meeting the council’s Cleaner, Safer And Greener values.”

Leader of the district council Mr David Lloyd put forward the proposal to delay work and revisit the scheme to ensure the priorities of the wider community were reflected.

Mr Lloyd, who referred to himself as a tree hugger, said: “Specifically in this location. We need to make sure the municipal buildings are brought back into use.

“I’m not part of the planning committee. I cannot and do not have the power, and nor does this chamber to extinguish planning permission, but I can put a hold on one and that gives me the opportunity to make sure other receive this information and see if we can have a more holistic scheme.

“Let’s see if there is a solution.”