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Two housing projects totaling nearly 500 homes approved in Ashfield

By Latifa Yedroudj, Junior Local Democracy Reporter

Two separate applications totalling more than 450 homes have been approved by council planners in Ashfield.

Ashfield District Council has approved two housing projects, one on Hamilton Road in Sutton and the other on Beck Lane in Skegby.

The applications are for 250 properties in Hamilton Road and 230 in Beck Lane and were submitted in May 2023 and November 2023 respectively.

The plans were both approved at Ashfield District Council’s planning committee on Wednesday, June 11.

The estates, which are about 1.8 miles apart, would be required to enter into Section 106 agreements to help fund local services.

The Beck Lane development will span across 9.2 hectares of land – equivalent to about 13 football pitches.

Up to 15 per cent of the homes – or 34 properties – will be classed as affordable housing, with a mix of affordable rent and home ownership.

The application received 25 objections from residents who raised concerns over traffic, highway safety, impact on local services, loss of green space and potential harm to wildlife.

Developers will pay £2.16 million to the Beck Lane development as part of Section 106 contributions.

This includes £244,375 towards improvements to local health facilities, £798,560 towards secondary education, and £104,556 towards SEND education.

They will contribute £287,500 to improve local bus services and £22,126.02 towards local waste management facilities.

In addition, £10,268 will go towards library services, and £3,000 per house will be paid towards off-site sports and recreation facilities.

Developers will also pay a £4,000 fee to the council to cover the cost of monitoring the agreement.

The Hamilton Road development is located near the popular King’s Mill Reservoir in Sutton.

The site is next to the Hermitage Way Industrial Estate, a short distance from the popular reservoir and adventure park and accessed off the roundabout on Hamilton Road.

The development will include affordable housing, which would make up 10 percent of homes, or 25 properties.

Developers will pay more than £1.35 million as part of Section 106 contributions for the Hamilton Road scheme.

This includes £135,468.75 towards improvements to local health facilities, £459,750 towards secondary education, and £104,556 towards SEND education.

They will contribute £594,000 to improve local bus services and £24,050.02 towards local waste management facilities.

A total of £11,161 will go towards library services, and £2,000 per dwelling will be paid towards off-site sports and recreation facilities.

Developers will also pay a £4,000 fee to the council to cover the cost of monitoring the agreement, and £10,000 towards improvements to the Timberland Trail.

Cllr Arnie Hankin (Ash Ind) said after the meeting: “Working with our officers, we can see that it’s a very well presented application.

“We still fall short of our housing needs in Ashfield and our members voted to pass it – and I think that was the right decision.

“We’ve received one letter of objection on the second application – but we approved it and its a contribution of 250 houses.

“None of us like getting rid of Green belt unfortunately this has to happen from time to time.”

Cllr Andy Meakin (Ash Ind), Executive Lead Member for Social Housing and Assets, added: “We do fall short of our housing needs in Ashfield, the housing developments are the right move.

“The money [Section 106 contributions] will go a long way to supporting local amenities, libraries, school provision and bus services.”