Former Eastwood primary school site could make way for 104 homes

The site as seen from Walker Street (credit Broxtowe Borough Council)
By Anna Whittaker, Local Democracy Reporter

Plans to build 104 homes on the site of a former school in Eastwood are due be approved despite concerns from residents over noise and loss of playing fields.

The major development is planned for the former site of Lynncroft Primary School, in Walker Street, Eastwood.

The homes would be accessed via a single road which residents say is “inadequate”.

In 2020 the applicant gained outline planning permission to build up to 200 homes on the site.

Now, detailed plans by Avant Homes have been submitted to Broxtowe Borough Council which will make a decision at its planning committee on July 5. Council officers have recommended that the plans are given the go ahead.

They include plans for one, two, three, four and five bedroom properties.

There is also outline planning permission for 60 assisted living apartments on the same site, but the application is pending awaiting the signing of a section 106 agreement – outlining how the developer will contribute funding for local facilities.

Eastwood Town Council objected on the basis of “over intensification
of the site”.

A total of 68 residents also responded to the plans, raising concerns over flood risk, parking, loss of playing fields as well as noise and disturbance.

They said a single access to the homes was “inadequate” for a “narrow road”.

But council officers said “it is considered that any potential concerns would be outweighed by the benefits of the scheme”.

The school buildings have been demolished after the site closed in 2017.

Council officers said: ” The benefits of the scheme are that the proposal would provide a wide range of size and type of accommodation which would contribute to the delivery of housing stock within the Borough, would provide affordable housing of an amount that would accord with Local Plan policy, it would be set within a layout which encourages sustainable modes of transport with connections to both the built up area of Eastwood and beyond and would provide a good standard of living for the future occupiers.

“The development would be in accordance with the policies contained within the development plan. This is given significant weight.”