Neighbours have opposed the potential closure of a 'popular' under threat Nottinghamshire maze and cinema. Business B2B had hoped get formal planning permission to continue to host laser tag, archery, an outdoor cinema, an expansive maize maze, and bush craft events off Lime Lane in Arnold, where it has operated authorised since 2015.
But Gedling Borough Council's planning committee was advised to refuse permission for this to continue when it met on April 26 - with councillors instead choosing to delay the decision after a discussion. Gedling Borough Council said it has received “regular complaints” about the site relating to noise and anti social behaviour since July 2022, after attention was brought to the venue by two festivals.
But when Nottinghamshire Live visited homes close to the events site, neighbours explained they saw the facility as a positive and hoped it would stay. An 83-year-old woman said: "We've never had many problems with it, apart from one of the festivals which caused really bad parking issues.
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"We get on with them really well. It doesn't have a big impact on us and it is very popular and the kids have a good time there. It is a good thing for the area, I would rather it stay here than be shut."
Nigel Wilson, 60, who lives across from the maze maize on Mansfield Road, said he heard the festivals, but had no problem with the events being held. "It doesn't really impact us, and there aren't many people that live near to it.
"We heard it last year when they held the festivals but it wasn't a problem. We saw the lights as well from here too, but we just thought 'let them have a good time'.
"It is greenbelt so you can't really do much else with it."
The application will be deferred to the next planning committee. The business employs around 45 people a year.
Planning officers previously said although the outdoor activities were acceptable on greenbelt land, the benefits of the plan did not outweigh the potential "harm" to the protected countryside area caused by keeping the site's infrastructure in place.
Another neighbour, who did not want to be named, said: "I don't really see what the problem with it is. I don't think it makes sense to close it after years of it running fine.
"It creates jobs and it seems quite popular. I would seem a waste to close it down over a few complaints."
More than 2,200 people have signed a petition in support of saving the activity site. Planning officers had advised Gedling Borough Council's planning committee to carry out enforcement action, meaning the unauthorized events and activities would be stopped, but the deferred decision has allowed the business to continue.
A B2B spokesperson, commenting after the committee meeting, said: "The committee members present voted to defer a final decision to a later date, thereby allowing time to try and find a solution to compromise and work between the Council and Landowner / businesses.
"This outcome was a massive relief to us all. We appreciate that we aren’t out of the woods yet and have a very long way to go, negotiations will start next week, which we can say is a move forward. The petition was spoken about in the meeting alongside the supporting comments and public backing shown by attendees.
"We still need you to keep signing and sharing the petition – this information, we feel, will become very important information when we must attend the next Planning Committee Meeting. For now, we can look forward to planting the Maize Maze and continuing with our day-to-day activities, [on April 26] we didn’t think this may be possible.
"With your help we can keep going, working with Planning and hopefully, we will succeed in running our business at Lime Lane this Summer along with all the activities it has to offer. Please keep your fingers crossed for us over the next weeks."
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