Whilst villagers are still reeling from the recent permission for 588 houses to be built in four brand new estates on Green Belt land around Ruddington, it now seems we ain’t seen NOTHIN’ yet!! Please see the important September 2020 updates below*.
A new document called the ‘Greater Nottingham Strategic Plan – Growth Options Consultation July 2020′ is now out for ‘consultation’ – with remarkably little fanfare – published by Greater Nottingham Planning Partnership (GNPP). This is a body set up in 2008 which includes not only Rushcliffe Borough Council but also those of Broxtowe, Erewash, Gedling and Nottingham City, plus the Hucknall part of Ashfield District, and the two associated County Councils of Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire. The partnership’s stated aim is “to prepare statutory strategic development plans which are consistent and provide a coherent policy framework across the area”.
Evidently that ‘consistent and coherent policy framework’ involves DOUBLING the size of Ruddington by 2038! An 111 page document accompanies a ten week consultation which began on 6th July and ends on 14th September 2020. The parts most relevant to our village are nicely tucked away on pages 97, 98 and 99 under Section R12:
Ruddington Extension – Village Expansion:
- R12.1 West of Pasture Lane
- R12.2 North Road
- R12.3 East of Loughborough Road
- R12.4 Land south of Wheatcroft Island, Flawforth Lane
Bizarrely, the new maps drawn up by GNPP (the Ruddington section is shown top) display existing ‘Core Strategy Sites’ like Fairham Pastures and Sharphill Wood but do NOT show the four Ruddington Green Belt areas (shown in blue below) which were recently approved in February as part of Rushcliffe’s Local Plan Part 2 for a total of 588 dwellings.
If you superimpose these four sites (in red below) onto GNPP’s map it gives the correct picture of all the Green Belt development which could happen around Ruddington by 2038, should all the mooted new areas also be rubber stamped.
It’s clear most of the proposed, additional Ruddington Green Belt sites are much larger and intended to accommodate thousands of properties – not just hundreds. These new, more remote estates would dwarf anything that’s already been approved in our village. Not only that, but if the building went ahead as drafted, Ruddington would be physically joined up with Clifton Estate to the West, Edwalton to the north and Bradmore to the south – with hundreds more acres of farmland concreted over and no Green Belt corridor remaining between our ‘village’ and other Nottingham conurbations.
Both Ruddington’s Labour Borough Councillors are dismayed by the plans. Cllr Jennifer Walker says: “I would like to encourage the residents of Ruddington to get online and make their written contribution to this Greater Strategic Design as soon as possible. We need to make it clear that Ruddington’s infrastructure is already struggling under the pressure of present and future housing. If it is truly ‘under consultation’ than public opinion will carry much weight especially in light of the Borough’s adoption of the Local Plan Part 2.”
Cllr Mike Gaunt adds: “Any hint or even a suggestion of building any new housing on Green Belt land around Ruddington is an outrage. The Local Plan Part 2 has hammered Ruddington with 588 new homes already and, as we have repeatedly pointed out, this is already overwhelming our village’s infrastructure. To build housing at the level suggested would see the end of Ruddington as an independent village and see its character permanently change. Councillor Walker and I will fight these proposals, but we will need the support of the community if we are to succeed. Please do contribute to the discussion.”
A spokesperson for Protect Ruddington – which campaigned long and hard against the 167 houses recently approved along Wilford Road – comments: “This is just appalling and outrageous. After all the Green Belt housing our village has already been forced to take, these new plans are unbelievable!”
*IMPORTANT SEPTEMBER 2020 UPDATES:
Having decided at its virtual meeting on August 25th to submit its own response opposing these proposals, Ruddington Parish Council (RPC) has also decided it can safely hold a ‘socially distanced’ public display and consultation regarding the ‘Greater Nottingham Strategic Plan’ at Ruddington Village Market on Saturday September 5th on The Green.
Details of the exact location of RPC’s stall will be published just before market day >>HERE<<.
RPC has already distributed thousands of leaflets around the village to make as many people as possible aware of this very important consultation. It’s urging all residents to oppose more development in Ruddington’s Green Belt by officially registering our opinions whilst we still have the chance.
You can do this RIGHT NOW via the Greater Nottingham Strategic Plan consultation page which can be found >>HERE<<. Accompanying documentation to help you can be dowloaded from >>HERE<<.
Our Parish Council has also now produced the video below to highlight their objections to the Plan – along with concerns from some villagers – and to give you an overview of this consultation. But this is not an easy document to navigate and complete – and the helpful template Cllr Walker mentions in the video can be downloaded >>HERE<< for your guidance, and for you to adapt as you wish. The more detailed RPC consultation response is >>HERE<<.
PLEASE NOTE the deadline to complete this consultation is Monday September 14th 2020, and there is much information to read and digest, so please don’t leave it until the last minute!!
