Angry residents along Musters Road are seeking reassurance from the builder of a major new, Ruddington housing estate that their own homes won’t be flooded during its construction.
Although Avant Homes Midlands‘ excavations for its ‘Wilbur Chase’ development of 175 properties north of Asher Lane only began two months’ ago, those with back gardens bordering the site awoke this week to find much of the former Green Belt site underwater after overnight rain. With winter only just beginning, and further wet weather forecast, they contacted RUDDINGTON.info expressing alarm that this might soon swamp their own houses. They’re also concerned for future occupants of the new dwellings being built on what is currently a lake!
As previously reported, this whole estate was the subject of a long and bitter battle by village residents, Ruddington Action Group and Ruddington Parish Council to prevent housing development. After lengthy public consultations it didn’t make it into the original Rushcliffe Borough Council (RBC) Local Plan Part 2 and outline planning permission was rejected by the Borough Council – before being allowed on appeal by a Government Planning Inspector.
Musters Road resident Sarah Norton, who took the top two photos, tells us: “It was a farmer’s field before and it’s always been a wet area, that’s why there were so many objections to building here, on top of all the other reasons. The photo is of the area where the most intensive building is happening. The affordable housing is going here. It is very wet all the way down the John Hallam’s field.”
Sarah also tells us of residents’ disappointment when the updated application moved the boundary of the houses to just 6 metres from the Musters Road houses when it was originally 10 metres. “Similarly many houses are now side on with roadways to this boundary, rather than being back gardens, given more opportunity for absorbing water and therefore less run off” she explains.
“Another issue was the removal of the swale network from this area to help channel water away from the boundary to the balancing pond. They are relying on the old culvert, underground in parts, which regularly flooded near the Weggie Walk path where it emerges above ground to the rear of the Western Fields properties – all ignored by the government inspector!”
Sarah continues: “The fear is, with the levels that building appears to be at, the houses on Musters and Western Fields, plus the allotments and the neighbouring field, will flood as a result of surface run off and the fact that the houses have replaced an open field that acted as a sponge, taking water from the surrounding higher land off the Country Park, etc.”
Residents have noted that the new balancing pond (pictured above) – which has just been dug out to the west of the new entrance off Musters Road, behind the Western Fields properties – is already full of water: “One wonders whether the pond will actually work given the land there is permanently saturated with water?” asks Sarah.
Asked about this worrying situation, an Avant Homes spokesperson responded: “The flooding at part of the development is due to the site’s balancing pond not yet being connected to an outfall, which allows excess water to safely flow away. We take any issues of this nature seriously and are continuing works on connecting the balancing pond to the outfall to remedy the situation. We are also monitoring watering levels at the site during this time and will ensure excess water is pumped away, where necessary.”
Village campaign group Protect Ruddington has Tweeted: “This is what the residents along Brookside Road and Brookside Gardens are now dreading after @PINSgov also approved the flood prone fields off Wilford Road for development as part of @Rushcliffe’s Local Plan Part 2. Time for @EnvAgency to reconsider please?!”
Sadly, flooding is not the only issue of concern at Asher Lane. Ruddington businessman John Hallam, who owns the land east of the development site, has contacted Rushcliffe Borough Council after being alerted to Avant Homes’ new plans to chop down the large, mature, ash tree on his boundary. Mr Hallam says this tree is on his land and therefore should not be removed – and the way the temporary fencing has been erected on the development side of the old tree would seem to confirm this.
However, the property company’s spokesperson says: “The ash tree on the eastern boundary of Wilbur Chase is, in fact, located on Avant Homes’ land. Following independent analysis of the tree, it has been agreed as part of the planning consent that the tree should be removed due to its current health and bearing on the development.”
That’s not all! Resident Adam Wilkinson has been in touch with us to say: “A recent change of operations appears to be using the gap where number 75 used to be as a construction entrance, and loads of tipper lorries have been running down Distillery Street and Musters Road to access the site that way – and then using the Asher Lane ‘entrance’ as an exit. According to the approved construction method statement, that’s not allowed. I guess they’re doing that to kind of make a one way system for the trucks to get around the pinch points down Asher Lane with trucks trying to pass in both directions.” Adam adds: “The roads are in a terrible state too – even Kirk Lane is filthy!”
The Avant Homes spokesperson responds: “At present, we have been given temporary access to the development from Asher Lane for the initial phase of the project. However, there will be few occasions during this initial period where construction traffic will require access through Musters Road. The long-term access for the remaining construction of the development, residents and visitors to Wilbur Chase will also be from Musters Road.”
But resident Martin Breakwell complains: “The approved Construction Method Statement is not being complied with by the developers. This says that all vehicles should have their wheels cleaned before leaving the site. This is not happening. The Appeal Inspector said that wheel washing was to take place. This is not happening. The road sweeper is only serving to smear mud throughout the village!”
He adds: “When, oh when, will our Local Authorities (Rushcliffe Borough and Notts County) get a grip and actually do something that will protect local residents?”
It seems the tense relationship between existing householders, local councils and the developer of this first of the four Rushcliffe Local Plan Part 2 housing sites in Ruddington is set to continue!
