Villagers have raised concerns over hundreds of planned homes 'swamping' strained local services. An initial stage screening opinion application has been submitted for up to 230 new homes to be built off Beck Lane, Skegby, where hundreds of homes are already planned despite concerns over the village's infrastructure.
The fields off Beck Lane have already caused controversy, with the Government overriding Ashfield District Council in 2019 to allow the building of 322 houses. In September it was revealed Nottinghamshire County Council were looking to sell 11.5 more acres of land off the lane to developers.
Homeowners neighbouring the site and local councillors have expressed worries over the proposed additional housing, claiming the area's infrastructure is not suitable for the planned projects. Barry Nicoll, 75, who has lived on Chancery Close for 24 years and opposed the previously approved plan, said: "The first one was against all opinion in the local area, but that went through despite the widespread opinion that the doctors and roads were not up to it. These are totally isolated developments that are not linked to the community at all.
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"These developments would not include any infrastructure to complement what is in the village, which will be swamped by it all - along with the roadways. They [developers] are now just stream rolling their way through all the concerns.
"This new plan will roughly double the size of the impingement on the roads, doctors, and schools [when compared to the approved plans ]. The area really needs some other development other than just housing, to serve the community and for it to be sustainable. You get queues now at certain times of day from the Fox and Crown all the way down to the Co-op, and that's without any additional traffic.
"I fought against the first one [which was approved by Government]. I've given up with it now, I've got better things to do - but it's very sad how it will affect the community."
The proposed development would include affordable housing as well as landscaping and 'habitat creation'. Two new vehicle accesses to Beck Lane would also be created, according to planning documents.
Councillor Helen-Ann Smith, who represents Sutton North on Nottinghamshire County Council, said: "One thing I will be very clear about is that we have a massive lack of infrastructure in the area to cope with that demand of housing. That is going to be a problem.
"Even now you can't get an appointment at the local doctor's surgery and the local school is full. The amount of problems with traffic gives me concern- if you look at the amount of accidents on Beck Lane and Abbott Road it is immense."
The area's ward councillor said the plans would be called into Ashfield District Council's planning committee. Councillor Will Bostock, who represents Skegby ward on Ashfield District Council, said: “I have huge concerns about the number of developments in our area. The reality is that our infrastructure cannot cope. We will be calling this application in for further scrutiny by the Ashfield’s Planning Committee as our infrastructure is struggling to cope as it is.”
The screening application, submitted by Marron Planning on behalf of Richborough Estates, is pending consideration by Ashfield District Council. The planning document said: "The development is located on the north eastern edge of Sutton in Ashfield and provides good quality access to pedestrian and cycling infrastructure. The development would represent a seamless extension to the town, and would tie into the existing transport network."
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