Online Representation

Personal Details:  Please Note the Council Publishes the Name and Address of all people who comment on a Planning Application. 

Forename: Chelsea
Surname: Marshall
Address: 7 orchard road
Kirkby in ashfield 
Nottinghamshire 
Ng178jx

Opinion:

Overview View: OBJECT

Comment:

Comment:Dear Planning Officer,
I am a resident living a few doors away from 5 Orchard Road and I am a young mother with children living at the property. I wish to formally object to the proposed change of use to a C2 childrenâ€™s care facility for four children (Planning Reference: V/2026/0009).
My objection is based on the significant and direct impact this development would have on the safety, wellbeing and residential environment of children living on Orchard Road, including my own, as well as on the overall character of the street.
Orchard Road already experiences considerable traffic congestion and parking pressure, particularly at peak times associated with nearby school activity. As a parent, I am especially concerned about highway safety and the ability for children to move safely along the street. The loss of two on-street parking spaces, combined with the increased vehicle movements generated by a 24-hour care facility, would intensify traffic levels throughout the day and night. Staff shift changes, professional visits and potential emergency vehicle access would increase turning movements, reversing manoeuvres and general activity in close proximity to family homes, which raises clear safety concerns for children who live and play nearby.
The application also fails to address the reasons a previous proposal on this site was refused in July 2025, which included inadequate off-street parking provision and adverse impacts on highway safety and capacity. These issues remain unresolved, and the intensification of use associated with a C2 facility would further compound an already constrained situation.
In terms of residential amenity, the proposed use is not compatible with the established, family-orientated nature of Orchard Road. A care facility operating on a 24-hour basis would inevitably introduce increased noise, disturbance and activity at unsociable hours. As a parent of young children, regular late-night or early-morning disruption would have a direct and harmful effect on our home environment, routine and sense of security. Furthermore, the proposed rear layout and raised external access would result in overlooking into neighbouring gardens, including those used daily by children, leading to a loss of privacy and a reduced feeling of safety within private outdoor spaces.
I am also concerned by the significant environmental impact of the proposal. The submitted information identifies a biodiversity loss of approximately 88.85%, including the removal of trees that previously supported bats, a protected species. The continued loss of green space and wildlife habitat reduces the quality of the local environment and the outdoor spaces available to families and children living nearby.
In conclusion, this proposal represents an over-intensive form of development in a location that is unsuitable due to existing highway constraints, the residential nature of the area and the presence of families with young children. The development would have a clear and lasting negative impact on child safety, residential amenity and environmental quality. I therefore respectfully request that planning permission be refused.
Yours sincerely,
Chelsea Marshall
Nearby Resident