CAMPAIGNERS have hit out against plans to build nearly 700 new homes in Alfreton.
As part of Amber Valley Borough Council’s Preferred Growth Strategy, draft plans include 500 houses on land off Mansfield Road known as Outseats Farm.
It is one of the only green spaces left on the East side of the town.
This is in addition to approved plans for 182 new houses.
The town council feels Alfreton cannot cope with the proposed level of growth.
Coun Gail Dolman, deputy leader of the town council, said: “The borough council describes the growth as modest that is certainly not a definition either the town council or many local people could assign to a scheme of this size and impact.
“The town council feels that Alfreton cannot cope with that level of growth and, in conjunction with members of the public, has put forward clear logical reasons which demonstrate the proposed development is unsustainable and would fly in the face of the Government’s demand that future sustainability must be a key determinant of any future growth.
“The borough council’s own findings show there is a significant shortage of green space in Alfreton, which is one of the most densely populated parts of the borough.”
Town mayor, Coun Steve Marshall-Clarke, said: “The town council and local people have gone to great lengths to engage in the consultation processes and have identified more sustainable alternatives to the borough council’s proposals only to discover that the sites put forward by the borough council are the ones identified by developers.
“Surely it is the responsibility of the elected members to determine sites or is this just a process led by developers?
“I urge the borough councillors to revisit this matter with an open mind and come up with their own plan following extensive, meaningful consultation.”
Campaigner Alan Stanbrooke fears the Outseats Farm development will cause huge problems.
He said: “The congestion is already bad so we can’t handle up to another 1,000 extra cars coming into the town. None of this makes sense to any of us.”
A meeting concerning the Outseats Farm proposal will be held at Alfreton Community Hall, Mansfield Road, Alfreton, on 19th October between 3pm-7pm.
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