RUSHCLIFFE Borough Council devised a local plan in 2005, which stated that the area around Sharphill Woods in Edwalton could be developed.

But in January 2006 a report by an independent inspector said the land should not be built on.

In March, the council voted to ignore this recommendation and implement the local plan with Sharphill land for development, at a full council meeting.

But after mounting public opposition, an extraordinary council meeting was held in June where the council was presented with a petition with 4,000 signatures from residents saying the inspector's recommendation should be implemented.

The council then voted to take the Sharphill land out of the local plan for development.

By then there was not enough time for the local plan to be re-written and go before its July deadline so it had to be abandoned and the council started the new Local Development Framework process.