Following last week’s important public meeting on the future of Ruddington’s Green Belt in St Peter’s Rooms, Ruddington Parish Council has just published its own views – objecting to TWO of the proposed housing sites and also to the increased allocation of homes for our village.
This is in response to Rushcliffe Borough Council‘s Local Plan Part 2 consultation which now earmarks Ruddington for 410 new houses – 64% more properties than the 250 first mooted. The current Rushcliffe Borough Council (RBC) consultation, which ends this Monday November 27th, is on the suitability of the remaining FOUR out of sixteen Green Belt sites originally proposed by RBC in its revised Local Plan for future housing development.
You can read all the background >>HERE<<.
The current shortlist (see latest map above) was approved at an RBC Cabinet meeting in September when the five members simply rubber-stamped the recommendation of the “Local Plan Part 2: Preferred Housing Sites” report to narrow it down to these four areas in Ruddington which potentially could be sacrificed. It proposes the following housing allocations by 2028:-
However, following its public meeting, Ruddington Parish Council has objected to the Borough Council both about the increased allocation of housing and to TWO of the four sites above – saying they are unsuitable. Its responses, in full, are as follows:-
“Qu1. Do you agree with the Council’s proposal that Local Plan Part 2 should identify enough land for around 2,550 new homes?
No.
The shortfall is 900 fewer homes over the life of the plan, if 2200 new homes are allocated that would mean that at the end of the plan there will be a total of 14,250 new homes that will have been built against the target of 13,150, an excess of 1,100. Pressure should be put on the developers of the larger sites rather than expecting the Key Settlements to make up the shortfall in the five year supply of deliverable housing sites.
Qu2. Do you agree with the Council’s proposed allocation of the Abbey Road depot for the development of around 50 new homes?
Yes.
Qu3. Do you agree with the Council’s proposal that no sites adjacent to the main urban area of Nottingham (within Rushcliffe) should be allocated for housing development through Local Plan Part 2?
Yes.
It is important that the areas of separation are maintained between Ruddington and Clifton & West Bridgford.
Qu12. Do you agree that local Plan Part 2 should allocate greenfield land for housing development at Ruddington for around 410 homes in total?
No.
The Parish Council believes that no more than 250 new homes should be allocated within the greenbelt at Ruddington for the life of the plan. Ruddington is not the solution for the major strategic sites failing to deliver housing in the timeframe expected. All development that takes place in villages and towns such as East Leake, Clifton and West Bridgford impacts upon the already overloaded road infrastructure in Ruddington as the road users use Ruddington as a means to travel to Nottingham, the A60, the A453 and the A606. The A60 is already acknowledged to be over its theoretical capacity, the present development at Sharp Hill Woods will have a detrimental effect on Flawforth Lane and the A60, this will make it more difficult for those living in Ruddington to gain access to the A60. The Borough Council have noted in other publications and consultations that the historical road layout makes it difficult, if not impossible, to make changes that would have a positive effect upon the issues that are already being experienced by residents. Both infant and primary schools are at capacity and James Peacock Infant School would appear to have no ability to extend in its present location. Both of the medical practices within Ruddington are located on restricted sites and would find it difficult to expand, expansion would probably mean moving to a less central area of the village.
Qu13. Do you support the proposed allocation for housing development of the following sites at Ruddington:
RUD01 – No.
The site is not suitable for housing, it contains Zone 2 & 3 Flood Risk areas. It is ridiculous to expect that there will be no impact upon the village infrastructure due to the location, traffic will flow into the village to gain access to the amenities and to travel to other areas.
RUD05 – Yes.
RUD11 – No.
The area is isolated and too far away from the village amenities, there are no longer any retail facilities on Ashworth Avenue.
RUD13 – Yes.
Qu22. Please identify any matters related to housing development which are not covered here or elsewhere and which you wish to relate
To increase the number of houses from 250 to 410 is particularly unreasonable while a development of 175 houses in excess of the 410 is still under appeal at the Asher Lane site.
RUD01 refers to the site including Sellors Playing Field. The playing field is the property of the Parish Council and no agreements have been undertaken into its sale.”
The Parish Council’s conclusions and comments have been warmly welcomed by two Ruddington residents’ groups – since local councillors’ views will carry some weight alongside all those from villagers. However it’s RBC and then the government which will make the final decisions so it’s still vitally important to get as many individual responses as possible. Indeed your views may well differ from those of the Parish Council or Ruddington’s campaign groups? The Ruddington Community Association asserts that RUD1 should not even be considered for building on because it includes the covenanted Sellors’ Recreation Ground – which is registered as an Asset of Community Value – and so is also urging villagers to reject that option completely. Meantime Ruddington Action Group is protesting about our village’s increased housing allocation from 250 to 410 new homes. Both groups have leafleted houses in the village with their concerns – also strongly encouraging residents to take part in RBC’s current consultation.
However, time is running out! The online consultation on the Local Plan ENDS at 5pm on Monday 27th November. If you’ve not yet completed it you’re being urged to do so as soon as possible >>HERE<<. Alternatively you can >>DOWNLOAD<< a Response Form to fill in and mail in the post. OR you can simply email your responses to localdevelopment@rushcliffe.gov.uk. As only around 130 of over SEVEN THOUSAND Ruddington residents actually took part in the original Local Plan Part 2 consultation last year, then around 70 in the second consultation earlier this year it’s hoped that very many more people will have been engaged this time around to give a true representation of villagers’ opinions to planners about our precious Green Belt land. If you fail to comment to the right people NOW then you can’t complain when houses get built where you didn’t want them!
Please remember that opinions posted on social media DO NOT count. You need to complete the RBC consultation >>HERE<< by 5pm on Monday 27th November 2017.
