Update in relation to development activity in Balderton

It is extremely disappointing that the occupants chose to ignore the requirement to secure planning permission and undertook construction works without permission and during the night.

In an ideal world, the Council would have the powers to step in straight away, stop the works, and clear the site. Sometimes we can do this, for example, if something is likely to be a danger to the public or create irreversible damage to a heritage building. But in regards to Bullpit Road, this isn’t the case, and so we have to find another way to address the unauthorised development.

On 8 May 2025, the Council served an Enforcement Warning Notice, which requires the landowner to submit a planning application. Local residents will then have the opportunity to express their views, and the application will be considered on its own merits, the same way as every other application.

The Council has also served Control of Pollution Act 1974, Section 60 Notices, which state that any ongoing works on the site audible at the site boundary must only take place between 7:30 am and 6:00 pm, Monday to Friday, and 8:00 am and 1:00 pm on Saturday, with no working on Sundays. If activity is taking place, please contact us via email at Environmental.Health@newark-sherwooddc.gov.uk.

We understand and share residents’ frustration and concerns. Construction of the site has caused alarm and distress and a significant amount of time to deal with it. But the difficult message to convey is that the Council is bound by planning policy legislation and can’t always act in the way that it would want to or residents would hope for.

Despite some ill-informed and misleading information that has been peddled on social media and elsewhere, the Council was on the case of this unauthorised development as soon as it appeared. Much of the work takes place under the radar, but residents can rest assured that everything that could be done, has been done.

Previous updates

Update as of Wednesday 7 May 2025.

The Council is aware of the unauthorised development that has taken place on Bullpit Road.

We are also aware that some residents would have wanted the Council to stop the works while they were taking place and to immediately remove the occupants from the site.

Frustratingly, for the Council and local residents, the law does not allow us to respond in this way. We are currently awaiting the views of Nottinghamshire County Council and Network Rail which will determine whether we serve an Enforcement Notice.

If so, the Enforcement Notice will not become effective until 28 days from when it is served. We understand that this is irritating but these are not the Council’s rules. We will continue to respond as quickly and effectively as the legislation allows.