Help protect Spa Ponds

Mansfield District Council is considering allowing thousands of houses to be built in the countryside on Warren Farm land just to the west of Spa Ponds Nature Reserve in Forest Town, known locally as Gara Ponds. Specifically, allocations are being considered by the Council for Site 56 (1,333 houses), Site 187 (750 houses), and Site 188 (220 houses).

Map showing proximity of Sites 56, 187 and 188 to Spa Ponds Nature Reserve.

If you want to express your concerns about these proposals then please send your objection to Mansfield District Council by 13th July.

You can do this by email to: lp@mansfield.gov.uk and/or you can use the Council’s online consultation facility. Relevant links:

Here is a template response to Question 15 which you are free to use our adapt:

Example response to Question 15 (‘Potential new housing allocations’)

I regularly enjoy visiting Spa Ponds Nature Reserve in Forest Town, Mansfield, and want to make sure that this beloved site is protected from being harmed by new housing developments nearby. Mansfield District Council has recognised Spa Ponds as a Local Green Space because of its beauty, history, value for recreation, peacefulness, and rich wildlife. Spa Ponds is also formally recognised as a Local Wildlife Site, a Community Open Space, and as part of Mansfield’s Strategic Green Infrastructure.

I especially value the peace and quiet I experience at Spa Ponds. I’m worried that nearby housing developments could ruin one of the few places in Mansfield where you can escape everyday life and enjoy the relaxing and uplifting calmness of nature.

Therefore, I strongly object to the proposed housing allocations at Site 56 (1,333 houses on ‘Warren Farm, Land North of New Mill Lane’), Site 187 (750 houses on ‘Land forming part of Peafield Farm’), and Site 188 (220 houses on ‘Land forming part of Warren Farm’). These sites are not suitable for housing and should instead be protected.

These sites are part of Mansfield’s Strategic Green Infrastructure and they should remain part of the countryside rather than being turned into houses. This would help protect what makes Spa Ponds special and preserve the appearance and character of the landscape which is visible from a number of locations, including various public footpaths within and around Spa Ponds (which includes some points very high in the landscape that offer views over a significant distance). It would also help protect species such as common toad and deer who use the adjacent greenspace to travel to Spa Ponds, enabling these creatures to continue to be able to visit the site.

If housing allocations are given to these sites, then there should be appropriate buffer strips and measures in place to minimise any potential harm, including those mentioned above. However, I do not believe that all of these harms can be fully prevented and so the best way forward is to completely rule out new housing development at these three sites.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is housing proposed for Spa Ponds itself?

No, Spa Ponds is owned by the Forest Town Nature Conservation Group and we would never sell it off for housing. In fact, our deeds are lodged with the Official Custodian for Charities as part of the Charity Commission’s Landholding Service to ensure that our wildlife site always remains as a nature reserve. We even have an agreement with the Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust that should FTNCG fold, the Trust will look after Spa Ponds.

Is the consultation on a planning application?

No, this is not an actual application for houses. This is a proposal to allocate the areas to the west and north of Spa Ponds as being suitable for housing. This would in turn make it much easier for a developer to secure planning permission in the future.

Would it be helpful for me to help spread the word?

Yes, please do. You can use share our FTNCG Social Media Post and Printable A4 Poster which you can ask to put up in shop windows or use as a leaflet.

Is the consultation you link to for the a proposal for 235 houses on land south of Peafield Lane?

While there is a planning application at Peafield Lane for houses (to the west of Warren Farm near the Maun Scrub and Grassland Local Wildlife Site), the consultation we are discussing above is not related to that planning application. If you want to find more about the Peafield Lane planning application go to the Mansfield District Council Planning Page and search for application 2025/0377/OUT. Comments are due by the end of July 2025, but unlike the allocation consultation the Council are required to consider late submissions up to the time when it is considered by the Planning Committee.

Can I volunteer at Spa Ponds?

We organise regular volunteer days and you can email us via spa.ponds@gmail.com to ask to be added to our mailing list. During the summer a lot of the work is Balsam Pulling which is often run by Chris Jackson rather than FTNCG.