New homes could be on way to Jacksdale as builder makes bid for land

Nottinghamshire County Council documents show almost six acres of vacant land is for sale off Westdale Road in the village.

The highest bid is from ‘a well-established house-builder with capacity to fund the purchase and development’.

However, the price of the land has not been disclosed as it would ‘would significantly damage the council’s commercial position’.

Councillors unanimously approved the sale of the land during the latest meeting of the council’s economic development and asset management committee.

More than three acres of the Westdale Road land would be suitable for development – and the 2002 Ashfield Local Plan allocated the site for 56 homes.

The site also has a proposed allocation for 49 homes in the new Ashfield Council Emerging Local Plan, although it is unlikely this plan will be adopted before a planning application from a successful bidder is approved.

Council documents stated: “At its meeting on February 10, the policy committee approved a report outlining terms agreed for a sale of the site by private treaty following a long marketing campaign.

“In the light of subsequent further interest in the site, the council has now offered the site for sale on the open market by informal tender, with sale being conditional on the purchaser achieving planning consent for their proposed scheme.”

Thousands of new builds are being planned for Ashfield after a controversial document from the Independent group set out plans for 8,226 homes to be built between now and 2038, including 498 in the Selston and Jacksdale area.

There are also dozens more planned for areas such as Underwood.

Councillor Jason Zadrozny, council leader, said: “There’s no getting away from the fact this plan is controversial, because some people don’t want to see changes to their communities.

“But I feel our cross-party working group, and the portfolio holder, have done a significant amount of work to steer this in a more positive way."