Formed in 2013, we are a non-profit making organisation dedicated to preserving and enhancing these ancient lands. We share a love of Codnor Common, land between the villages of Codnor, Waingroves and the town of Ripley, and our members come from all these areas. We’re dedicated to maintaining the land for future generations.

The Village Green application was made to preserve the land. From our questionnaires we can see 60 years of use, with generations using the land without challenge. If we had won the enquiry and gained Village Green status, the land would have had some protection, and the 96 houses at the Waingroves end would have been stopped.

Thank you to the many friends and neighbours that provided written evidence, oral evidence, or attended the inquiry to support us, but the inspector recommended that the land should not become a village green.

 AVBC Planning Board met on 13 May at 7pm at Ripley Town Hall and refused the application to build 79 houses on the Common behind Holborn View. Peveril Homes resubmitted the application, which was heard by the Planning Board on 12 August. The planning board again refused the application. Peveril appealed against the first refusal. This appeal was held at Ripley Town Hall on 22 and 23 October 2013.  

 On 11 February 2014, three months later than expected, the Planning Inspectorate published their report. This stated that the appeal has been upheld. Peveril Homes will be able to build on the land, leaving a strip. We understand the ownership of this small strip will be transferred to Ripley Town Council and Codnor Parish Council.

This strip appears to be the land designated as Local Green Space on the Ripley Neighbourhood Plan.

We believe this strip will be so subject to flooding that it should remain in the ownership of  the developer: Peveril Homes/Peveril Securities/Bowmer and Kirkland.

We also believe that properties in areas such as The Orchard, Codnor, and Eastfield Road, Ripley will be at high flood risk due to the extra water pushed into the two streams bordering the site, one known locally as Bailey’s Brook.

We would like to see a proper flood risk assessment carried out after Phase 1 of the build (on the Waingroves end of the site) has been completed.

We would also like to see the oak and ash trees that Peveril Homes/Securities had cut down before they had full planning permission replanted in the place they were taken out without permission. Peveril Homes could have potentially be fined £20,000 for each tree with a Tree Preservation Order cut down, but an internal investigation at Amber Valley Borough Council did not lead to this outcome.