The Rushcliffe Borough Council Planning Committee met on 11 September 2025 to consider planning applications, a tree preservation order, and planning appeals. The meeting was scheduled to cover a listed building consent application for Bridgford Hall, and an objection to the Whatton No.1 Tree Preservation Order 2025. The committee was also scheduled to note the planning appeal decisions.

Bridgford Hall

The Planning Committee were scheduled to consider an application for listed building consent at Bridgford Hall, Bridgford Road, West Bridgford.

The application, reference 25/00811/LBC, requests permission to install two black perforated roller shutters to enclose the single storey canopy over stairs to the park near to the former billiard room, which is now used for wedding ceremonies. The application also requests permission to make alterations to the canopy's supporting column and handrail to facilitate the installation of the shutters.

Bridgford Hall is a Grade II listed building owned by Rushcliffe Borough Council. It is used for registrar services and as a wedding venue, while the single-storey rear extension and upper floors, as well as the converted outbuildings, are in use as serviced apartments.

The report pack notes that the existing canopy structure is of modern construction, and was added to the Hall in 2017. It provides covered shelter over the fire doors nearest to the former billiards room, and the canopied area in combination with the stairs and ramped access are popular with wedding parties as a picturesque location for photographs.

The report pack also notes that the area beneath the canopy has attracted anti-social behaviour in the form of graffiti, low level arson, and rough sleepers. As a result, there are concerns about on-going damage to this area and the potential for catastrophic damage.

The proposed roller shutters would be installed to the wide northeast elevation (measuring 4.920m wide x 2.560m tall) and to the narrower northeast (measuring 1.460m wide x 2.940m tall), fitting into a roller shutter hood proposed to be affixed to the canopy's undersides on both elevations. The hoods are proposed as being timber clad to match the appearance of the existing canopy. The proposed roller shutters would be constructed in black painted metal and perforated to allow for ventilation and some visibility. The shutters would require installation of a trackway and it is proposed to clad the modern round column which supports the canopy in metal to create a square column with trackways. The proposed clad column's colour would match the existing. Two small sections of the existing metal handrails would be removed to fit around the roller shutter trackway.

The report notes that Historic England were consulted, but did not offer advice on the proposal, and that the Joint Committee of the National Amenity Society was also consulted but made no comments.

The report concludes that the proposal would cause harm to the listed building, but that the harm would be at the lowest end of the 'less than substantial' scale. It also concludes that the public benefits of the proposal, including securing the long-term future and viability of the asset, outweigh the harm.

The report recommends that listed building consent be granted subject to conditions.

Whatton No.1 Tree Preservation Order 2025

The Planning Committee were scheduled to consider an objection by Mike Downes on behalf of Knightwood Trust Farms Ltd to the Whatton No.1 Tree Preservation Order (TPO) 2025.

The trees are located within a roadside verge on a small countryside lane 1.5km to the southwest of the village of Whatton. The lane serves around 4 properties but links to a public right of way.

The TPO was made on 7 May 2025. Under the Town and Country Planning (Tree Preservation) (England) Regulations 2012, the Order takes effect provisionally and needs to be confirmed within 6 months of the date it was made. The council has a duty to consider all objections and representations that have been made.

Planning officers were considering an application, Reference: 25/00564/VAR, to vary condition 2 (Plans) and removal of condition 6 (Landscaping) and 15 (Acoustic Fence) for 23/02308/VAR to amend the approved design. During this process they became concerned that in future the developer may wish to create a new access to the road and whether this would affect trees in the vicinity.

The site was inspected and 4 trees were identified along the relevant section of verge, 2 of the trees were poor specimens, but 2 Lime trees were considered to have sufficient aesthetic quality, condition, public amenity value to warrant protection.

The landowners, Knightwood Trust Farms Ltd, object to the TPO for the following reasons:

• The trees are mature yet unremarkable. They are located on their land alongside a private roadway serving their farm and alongside a current barn conversion which is no longer in their ownership.
• The objection understands the TPO has been made to protect the trees in the event of a new independent access being created to the barn conversion, although they believe there is no necessity or intention to remove either specimen.
• There has been no consideration to the maintenance implications for Knightwood who retain responsibility for the trees and now face the prospect of having to make applications to the Council each time they need to cut back the tree branches and hedges where necessary to maintain the access road.

The report pack notes that the local Councillor was consulted who raised no concerns and welcomed the effort being made.

The report recommends that the Whatton No.1 Tree Preservation Order 2025 be confirmed without modification.

Planning Appeals

The Planning Committee were scheduled to note the planning appeal decisions. These included:

• An appeal against the refusal of planning permission for a retrospective application for installation of an air conditioning unit on side (south) elevation at 9 High street, Ruddington. The appeal was dismissed.
• An appeal against the refusal of planning permission to extend an existing loft conversion including construction of a hipped to gable front roof extension and side dormer window at 18 Repton Road, West Bridgford. The appeal was allowed.
• An appeal against the refusal of planning permission for the display of externally illuminated Free standing V-shaped dual panelled signage at 130 Melton Road, West Bridgford. The appeal was dismissed.