Residents and councillors are worried hundreds of new homes could be 'foisted' on a Nottinghamshire town they claim is at 'breaking point'. A proposed extension of 640 homes has been proposed for Top Wighay in Linby as part of a joint plan between Nottingham City Council, Gedling Borough Council, Broxtowe Borough Council and Rushcliffe Borough Councils to allocate areas for 2,000 homes.
The £205m Top Wighay housing project, which was given outline planning permission in April 2021, is already allocated for 805 new homes, a new primary school, a local commercial centre and green spaces. After the consultation on the draft Greater Nottingham Strategic Plan ended on February 14, Ashfield Independent councillors in nearby Hucknall accused neighbouring councils of "foisting additional housing and pressures on the Hucknall infrastructure” in a formal objection.
The expansion of the project would lie within Gedling Borough Council's boundaries, which has said the prospective "housing is concentrated in the most sustainable locations". But Dave Shaw, Ashfield Independent councillor for Hucknall West, argued the additional houses would put more strain on the neighbouring town's services.
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"These houses will be using Hucknall’s services, which are already at breaking point. Hucknall has a health care crisis that is not addressed in this clumsy, self-serving consultation document," Mr Shaw said.
"We have [on February 15] published our clear objections and we are asking the Conservative and Labour Parties in Hucknall to publish their formal objections, as submitted to the consultation. This will send a clear message to Hucknall residents that we are united, putting politics to one side and are putting Hucknall first.”
On the streets of Hucknall, residents echoed the concerns of the area's councillors over the planned extra homes. They argued the additional houses would worsen traffic and the demand on the town's health services.
Ian Wells, 55, from Hucknall, said: "The roadworks have started around there but apart from that at the moment not much has gone on there. It's going to create a lot of traffic around here, it is a nightmare there already so to add even more houses to the ones they are already doing seems too much.
"If we don't get any money to improve infrastructure and services around here but it is all technically over the border, that could create problems. Trying to get into the dentists is already a pain, so services like that will struggle."
Jason Knight, 52, from Hucknall, said: "Most people from here are a bit concerned about adding more houses on top of the hundreds planned there, but realistically I don't think we will get much choice and will have to cope with it.
"It's putting more pressure on Ashfield's services, and I don't know whether we've got the infrastructure for it which bothers me. There needs to be more funding if they're going to keep putting more and more houses into this area.
"People need houses and there are very good transport links here, but it feels unfair to have all these houses put on the edge of the town."
Mandy Gilfillan, 64, from Hucknall, added: "It is not very fair. You can't get into the dentists now and there are not enough buses to get people around.
"There's already been a lot of houses built around here which has had a terrible effect on Hucknall. There's nothing at all here now, but we'll have all these new people moving into new houses nearby and putting more pressure on things here."
Gedling Borough Council highlighted the consultation period for the Greater Nottingham Strategic Plan had recently ended, with the responses to be factored in when devising the full draft. A Gedling Borough Council spokesperson said: “Government has set a housing target for at least 7,950 homes to be built in Gedling Borough by 2038. The Greater Nottingham Strategic Plan Consultation sets out the strategy and approach for where these houses will be built.
"Much of the housing has already been allocated on sites across Gedling Borough where developments are well under way including land North of Papplewick Lane, as well as at Top Wighay Farm, where planning permission has been granted for 805 homes.
"The document ensures that housing is concentrated in the most sustainable locations across the borough. Consultation on the preferred approach document took place between Jan 3 and February 14, the responses will now be reviewed and inform a full draft of the Greater Nottingham Strategic Plan which is scheduled to be published later this year, when there will be a further opportunity to comment.”
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