Where planners want 32,000 new homes to go

A dossier shows where planners believe up to 32,500 new homes should be built in Notts. CHRIS BIRKLE takes a detailed look at the sites and reaction.

THE best locations for building 52,000 homes in Greater Nottingham and beyond have long been subject to claim, counter-claim and significant opposition.

Some of the sites are already well known, with housing plans submitted.

But a dossier published today clears up much of the speculation about the rest – by revealing 13 sites which planners believe are appropriate for more than half of these homes.

The report shows where council officers suggest 32,500 homes should be built in and around Nottingham – and they include proposals for nearly 10,000 homes as extensions to the urban area.

However a significant reduction is seen in the number of homes which had been feared for Top Wighay Farm in Hucknall, land north of Stapleford, Stanton Iron Works in Ilkeston and Clifton Pastures.

The new document, known as the core strategy, shows all the major sites which will go before the city, district and borough council cabinets to consider during January.

If the proposals are accepted, it is hoped the plans will go out for public consultation by the end of the month.

If some of the sites cannot be developed, other shelved sites in the green belt will have to be reconsidered.

Locations of smaller sites for the remaining 20,000 homes are yet to be finalised.

The report is jointly written by planners from all local authorities in the area.

Steve Dance, head of planning and building control at Broxtowe Borough Council, said: "We have looked at absolutely every site we can find in the urban area.

"It is with great reluctance we release the green belt. It is unavoidable.

"We have been saying this for some time. We are not happy about it but we have got to do it.

"Everything has been jointly written. We are all in the same boat."

Specific sites which have so far been deemed suitable include:

Green belt east of Gamston – 4,200 homes. This site had previously been rejected by planners but they now say it is suitable if a developer can satisfactorily demonstrate how it would integrate with the existing "urban fabric". Nottingham Forest and Nottingham City Council are hoping to build a new football stadium here with the help of cash from developers.

Green belt south of Clifton – 4,200 homes. Barratt Homes has already submitted plans to Rushcliffe Borough Council for 5,500 homes at this site.

Sites around Hucknall – including 800 at Rolls-Royce, 600 north of Papplewick Lane and 500 at Top Wighay Farm. The number of houses outlined for Top Wighay Farm is significantly smaller than anticipated, as a previous study showed that it could accommodate 2,550 homes. However, employment land is now recommended for this site as well.

Land by the River Trent near Colwick – 3,000 homes

More than 2,000 homes at the former Stanton Iron Works site in Ilkeston. This brownfield site had previously been outlined as able to accommodate 7,200 homes. However, employment land is now recommended too.

Gedling Colliery – 1,120 homes.

Vacant land at the Boots site, which straddles the city and county boundary – 1,150 homes.

Land between Stapleford and Toton – 1,000, slightly less than the 1,650 houses a previous study showed it could have.

Stanton Tip in Hempshill Vale – 500 homes.

Land north of Stapleford – 480. This is a significant drop from the 5,700 homes potential previously highlighted.

The strategy says: "There will be a strong focus on changing people's travel behaviour and improving opportunities for journeys to be made by public transport.

"Major improvements to highway capacity for private cars will be a last resort."

Green areas – known as "lungs" – will be included to provide recreation and to allow people to grow food.

There are also suggestions for development land for business, and new retail land is recommended for development at Gedling Colliery, land by the River Trent near Colwick, land south of Clifton and east of Gamston.

Bulwell is outlined for an upgrade to become a town centre from its current district centre status.

Other towns including Arnold, Beeston, Hucknall, Ilkeston and Long Eaton are highlighted for improvements to shops, leisure facilities and more.

Office space is also recommended to be developed in Arnold, Beeston, Bulwell, Hucknall, Ilkeston and Long Eaton.

The report said: "New employment is needed not only to complement population growth, but also to provide a range of employment opportunities to existing residents, as unemployment is a significant issue in some parts of Greater Nottingham."

Sherwood MP Paddy Tipping said that the teamwork shown by council officers in writing the report must now be replicated by politicians at the councils.

He said: "The positive thing is all the districts are working together. That helps to ensure that we get the best results.

"That co-operation from officers has got to go for members as well. We have got to look carefully at things like Rushcliffe Borough Council. They have got a local plan and always resisted house building in their area. They have got to take a share of it.

"There needs to be close working together around Hucknall between Gedling and Ashfield.

"Applications will only come forward from developers. There is a long way to run in this.

"The extension of Clifton makes a lot of sense. The development of the former Stanton site is very sensible.

"Ultimately, it is the developers who will drive these schemes forward. But having a robust plan in place really helps."

Broxtowe MP Nick Palmer said the developments in his constituency would prove controversial.

He said the plan for 1,000 homes between Stapleford and Toton – while smaller than it could have been – was still larger than he expected.

He said: "There are a lot of detailed issues.

"The main issue is always traffic because people commuting to Nottingham are very reluctant to see a huge increase in the numbers clogging up the roads.

"I would, on the whole, support the development at Ilkeston, though the issue there is the access road."

Anna Soubry, Tory hopeful for the Broxtowe parliamentary seat, said: "I believe that in Broxtowe, because we are the most densely-populated borough, we have not got the space for any more homes.

"We should not be encroaching on the green belt. It is precious. I oppose any building on the green belt.

"I don't understand how they are going to fulfil the 6,800 target for Broxtowe unless they build more huge swathes.

"Building between Toton and Stapleford is bad news. The land between those areas protects their identity. To build on that would be really sad."

chris.birkle@nottinghameveningpost.co.uk