UK’s first Oxylane Village hit by planning objection

Plans for the UK’s first Oxylane Village have been hit by a planning objection, but that won’t stop the firm’s ambitions for the project, BikeBiz has been told.

According to the Eastwood Advertiser, Nottinghamshire County Council has objected to the plans for the 50 acre sports village planned by the Decathlon store owner Oxylane. Mirroring the Oxylane Village concept already operating on ten sites in France, the project aims to make sports accessible to all with facilities for multi-sport activities – including cycle paths and tracks – as well as a Decathlon store.

The site in question is adjacent to M1 junction 26 and the Kimberley/Eastwood bypass, near Nuthall.

Cllr Richard Butler, chairman of the county council’s environment and sustainability committee, said: “The county council considers that the proposed development constitutes inappropriate development within the greenbelt and is therefore contrary to paragraph 89 of the national planning policy.

“If Broxtowe Borough Council is minded to approve the application, the county council requests that its concerns are addressed prior to planning permission being granted.”

Following the objection, Oxylane Village director Luke Fillingham told BikeBiz: "This does not change our plans or hopes for the project. With any major scheme there are usually people who are concerned by change, especially when you are planning something completely new.

"Local people will benefit from our project so they support it. The majority of local politicians are in favour because they represent the local people. Let’s hope the final result reflects this just as it should."

Oxylane is planning a whopping 30 ‘Villages’ for the UK (as well as 100 Decathlon stores for the country). Read more on the Oxylane Village project here.