Residents have expressed concerns over the impact 250 new homes could have on their Nottinghamshire village. Avant Homes plans to build a £58m development of new homes on the 25 acre site off Shilo Way, Awsworth.
The new homes, which will be a mix of two to five bedrooms, will also have access from Newton Lane. However, villagers are concerned about the amount of traffic that could be created by the new development, as well as the strain on local resources, such as the school.
Builder, Kevin Buxton, 54, said: "The development is not such much an issue, I'm a builder so I know the importance of housing, but it's the access and everything that is going to be a major problem and its impact on the village. The access points to the development are going to be a problem, as all the traffic will be coming down here (Newton Lane) for two years.
Read More: Couple anxious after doorbell footage captured stranger outside
"There's quite a lot of children on here as it's a family street, so children playing outside, I think it could end up being a disaster. They don't do anything until something happens and I think that's the gripe with most of the people."
He continued: "It's just the way that they are going to do it, this road was closed for a reason years ago and now they are opening it for more traffic. I can't see how this road can take the traffic that will be going down.
"This is a rat run at times because they think if the bypass is busy they can cut through here. It's a quiet village but it's still busy most of the day."
Speaking of his concerns of a strain on village resources, Kevin added: "If they are building 250 houses there's going to be more children. We have one school that is rammed, we have got a pub, there is no doctors in the village so people have to go to Giltbrook, Kimberly or Ilkeston."
When asked if she had any concerns about traffic on the road, a 53 year old housewife who did not wish to be named said: "I do have as its dangerous, we can't get anywhere and its just going to be harder, It's already dangerous. I would like them not to build it.
"It's a lot of houses, and we only found out a couple of days after we moved here, and we've been here six to seven years. It's horrible."
Lauren Boulton, 36, a day supervisor at the school, is also not pleased about the houses. She said: "We only have the one bus service that comes once an hour and the school is not big enough. It's a residential village not a town, with only one or two little shops.
"When they were testing the ground they brought the most disruptive equipment and massive diggers. They were waking people up at six in the morning."
Also a day supervisor, Alison Hendry, 50, added: "There's one school that can't cope with what it's got and just one shop and no facilities. People will be buying houses down there thinking they are buying themselves a house in Awsworth but they will be sending their kids to Ilkeston."
Regarding Newton Lane, Alison said: "The flow of traffic down here would be horrendous. There are on about more traffic down here when it cant cope with the amount of traffic going towards the retail park towards rush hour anyway.
"It's ridiculous." A retired 72 year old who did not wish to be named also has concerns about the developments impact on the village.
She said: "The bus service is down to one bus an hour now to Kimberley and Ilkeston, and obviously they are on about having the access on the by pass but not to here so we are going to get all the traffic. The school is full anyway so where will the children go, as these new houses will have young families.
"When we moved here 50 years ago and what there used to be to what there is now is shocking, there's not even a post office now." Regional sales manager, Asia Heathcote, 44, said: "My main concern would be the amount of traffic it would bring on to the road, as at the moment our kids can go to play on the street and everyone looks out for each other, but with the extra traffic they can't."
Regarding the concerns expressed by residents in the village, an Avant Homes spokesperson said: “Our planning application to build 250 homes on Newton’s Lane in Awsworth is currently awaiting a planning decision from the local authority. Our plans have been carefully considered with traffic surveys conducted to develop the required infrastructure to accommodate the new homes proposed.
“Subject to planning approval, there will be a spine road through the development with two points of access from Shilo Way and Newton’s Lane. Cycle and pedestrian links are also proposed to link the site to the wider residential area. The development’s construction, including traffic management, will be carried out in accordance with all obligations set out in the planning agreement.”
Read Next:
Family-friendly Nottingham climbing centre reopens after £100,000 investment
Life in Nottinghamshire village where independent stores are its 'heart'
Full list of one-off DWP payments government is handing out in February 2023
Nottingham charity faces being 'homeless' after being asked to pay for whole building
Warning to drivers over 'Russian Roulette' smart motorways due to planned maintenance work
