A former pit tip site is expected to finally be reclaimed and developed after Nottingham City Council sold part of it to a private company.
The council has sold 40 acres of Stanton Tip, Bullwell, to Omnivale Limited for an undisclosed sum.
It means work is likely to progress on returning the site back to as close to uncontaminated land as possible – although the site is used by local people as a dog walking site because it has become overgrown, almost resembling a nature reserve.
The tip used to serve the former Babbington Colliery and later Hucknall Colliery or ‘Bottom Pit’, which closed in 1986.
A decision document issued by the council shows the move was signed off by leader Jon Collins and states: “The council have been working with Omnivale Ltd for many years to agree terms to bring about the reclamation and redevelopment of the tip.
“The spoil heap at Stanton Tip comprises a large mound. To enable the site to be developed, the tip needs to be re profiled creating a platform.
“In addition slurry lagoons present in the tip will need to be drained, filled and compacted. The work and resulting stabilisation period will take between 3 to 5 years.”
The section sold off by the council is only part of the site. Ommnivale already own the rest of the tip.
The council’s decision document adds: “Omnivale Ltd own the remainder of the tip which can only feasibly be reclaimed as a whole, and Omnivale Ltd have the experience in reclaiming contaminated sites.
“The proposed sale and redevelopment of this large area of unmanaged open space will remove the risk of the land attracting crime and anti-social behaviour.”
Any deal is also subject to planning permission, it adds. The fee is not being made public for commercial confidentiality reasons.
A previous plan put forward in 2009 to arrange for Omnivale to reclaim the site in exchange for future profits fell through because detailed terms could not be agreed and the financial crisis hit land values.
Bulwell Ward City Councillor Jackie Morris said she had met with the developers and supported the sale.
“We’ve been involved from the beginning in the plans – we were very satisfied at the last meeting with what’s going to happen,” she said.
“We do need more green spaces but we also desperately need more housing. It will be tastefully done after the reclamation and there will been green spaces kept within the development.”
