Residents celebrate as 50ft rollercoaster looming over homes faces removal after council planning refusal

Residents living in the shadow of a towering 50ft rollercoaster have celebrated after council planners rejected an application to keep the giant ride beside their homes.

Neighbours in Sandford Lane, Hucknall, Nottinghamshire, say they have endured 18 months of noise, disruption and an imposing metal structure overlooking their properties, with test carts regularly racing around the track just yards from their gardens.

Now Ashfield District Council has refused retrospective planning permission for the site, dealing a major blow to Nottinghamshire-based Mellors Group, which builds and tests rides for customers around the world.

The company had sought permission to formalise the land as a testing and repair depot, but planners concluded the rollercoasters were too large and visually intrusive for the location.

In its decision notice, published on October 20, the council said the rides would create an “overbearing and oppressive presence” when viewed from nearby homes.

Officials also warned the structures would detract from the Grade II-listed RAF and Rolls-Royce hangars on the site.

The ruling has been welcomed by residents who say the unfinished attraction has blighted their neighbourhood and attracted urban explorers who have accessed the rides.

Dad-of-one Jack Welsh, 45, lives beside the track with his wife Kirsty and their eight-year-old daughter Sapphire.

He said the rollercoaster was clearly visible from their living room, while loose straps left outside overnight could flap noisily in the wind.

“You can see the carts zooming around the track from our living room window,” he said.

“I can understand why some people have a problem with it, of course.

“It's big and it can see into your gardens.”

He also raised concerns about people climbing onto the ride, adding to residents' worries about safety and disruption.

Other neighbours said they were “thrilled” by the council's decision, describing it as a victory for common sense rather than an attempt to prevent businesses operating.

One resident said: “It's not being a NIMBY, it's about not living next to an ugly metal rollercoaster which dominates the skyline and is so intrusive.”

Another neighbour complained that workers repairing the structure could see into gardens and bedrooms, leaving residents feeling their privacy had been compromised.

Councillor Dave Shaw, who represents Hucknall West on Ashfield District Council, described the decision as “absolutely fantastic news”.

However, the future of the rollercoaster remains uncertain, with Mellors Group making clear it intends to challenge the outcome.

A company spokesperson said: “We believe there has been a misunderstanding of what we are seeking to achieve and hope to work towards an outcome that addresses the concerns raised.”

The refusal does not automatically mean the ride will be dismantled immediately, as the company could pursue an appeal or seek another way forward.

For residents who have spent months looking at the towering structure from their homes, however, the decision represents a significant step towards resolving a dispute that has dominated their neighbourhood.