Campaigner disappointed at Ashfield council leaders 'no cause for more debate' response over Sutton greenbelt development plans

Protesters had the opportunity to air their concerns over Ashfield District Council’s controversial draft housing plan when the authority’s cabinet met.

The authority will not scrap its controversial draft local housing plan but will await the Government to respond to requests for more clarity, the meeting heard.

The council previously published its draft plan which set out where 8,226 homes are planned to be built. It led to protest from residents against a 1,000-home settlement off Cauldwell Road, Sutton and a 3,000-home development on greenbelt land at Whyburn Farm, Hucknall,

Laura Gapski, who led a group opposing the Cauldwell Road development also presented a petition of more than 1,600 signatures.

Laura, who runs the Bright Sparks Nursery, near the proposed site, said she was “pleased” to see some public representation at the cabinet meeting, held on Tuesday (January 25).

The meeting saw two separate petitions and a motion discussed by councillors, with three submissions addressing plan issues.

Laura said: “With unanimous support for our petitions and the motion coupled with the objections that the public have raised against the plan, it is disappointing that today the Chair Jason Zadrozny and the officer for regeneration Mathew Relf feel that there is further cause for debate over it.

“We were told today that the objections sent by email are still being opened, considered and noted, which can only mean that they were plentiful.

"However, throughout the consultation, not one single individual has said that this Local Plan is beneficial or good. In fact, is seems that nearly nine thousand local residents, business owners and members of the council consider that it isn’t.

"No further debate will convince them otherwise and the loyalty of the Ashfield Independent electorate now hangs in the balance as they stall further instead of confirming that we are being listened to and pulling The Plan.”

Ms Gapski told the meeting: “Is your legacy that of another party that put a blotch on the skyline, encouraged the urban sprawl, decimated our wildlife and turned the wine of our countryside back into water?

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