Notts council defends plans for 235 houses on Mansfield/Sutton border

Nottinghamshire Council said the scheme, for fields south of Caudwell Road, would provide ‘more than 200 much-needed new homes’, and help solve a housing shortfall.

Ashfield Council will consider the outline plans, submitted by Aspbury Planning for the Arc Partnership for Nottinghamshire Council, with a decision due early next year.

The development straddles the Mansfield Council and Ashfield Council boundaries, with the main site within the administrative area of Ashfield.

Laura Gapski, director of Bright Sparks Nursery on Derby Road, leads the Residents and Businesses against Cauldwell Road Development group, campaigning against development on the site.

Residents have already bitterly objected to Ashfield’s Draft Local Plan, amid a consultation for 8,200 homes over the coming years, including 1,000 earmarked for off Cauldwell Road.

Laura said: “This latest proposal is on scrub land, it makes sense to put it to better use for the community.

“However, the consultation reveals most respondents are against development because of the lack of attention to infrastructure, saturation of new houses, impact on the safe access of Nottingham and Caudwell roads and traffic nightmares at the Sainsbury’s junction.”

Shortfall

However, Coun Keith Girling, county council economic development committee chairman, said: “We own land at Cauldwell Road, to the south of West Nottinghamshire College, allocated as a potential housing area, part of Ashfield Council’s consultation.

“We’ve submitted a planning application for this site, working with financial support from Homes England. The proposals, if approved, would mean more than 200 much-needed new homes.

“There is a housing shortfall in Ashfield, with figures showing the district will be short of more than 5,000 homes between 2020 and 2037, unless action is taken.

“Local councils are required to identify a sufficient number of suitable development sites.

“An independent Transport Assessment was carried out to look at the potential impact on traffic congestion, including a future year assessment, which showed traffic from the site can be accommodated through the proposals.

"This will be considered further through the planning process. The A60/Cauldwell Road junction is in line for an upgrade, with the assessment showing limited impact on Derby Road.

“Now our planning application has been submitted, people can have their say through a local consultation.”

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