Neighbours have shared their worries over a plan for more than 100 new homes next to a school field in Bilborough. A 130-home development would be built on alongside playing fields next to Westbury School on St Martins Road, if new plans are approved by Nottingham City Council.
A dedicated and direct vehicular access from Chingford Road would be created by demolishing four houses, according to planning documents. A total of 26 (20 percent of the development) of the homes would be classed as 'affordable' properties.
Locals questioned whether the development was wanted by those living nearby. Len Keeling, 83, a retiree from Bilborough, said: "I don't think the plans will be welcomed a lot. I don't think the new housing development will help the sense of community in the area."
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"There's definitely a lack of parking spaces, the middle of this crescent was designed to have parking spaces, but they didn't give us access to it. There's only one access and that's right down at the other end."
Retiree Ray Fletcher, 72, from Bilborough, said: "A lot of people don't want them there. The land is used to take dogs on walks. Its always been a place to bring the kids and the dogs for walks, so it's going to upset people by building houses here. Parking is a problem. People don't like that a lot of gangs come through here and it's going to be even worse [after the build] as there is a cut through to the Asda"
The site is allocated in the adopted Nottingham City Land and Planning Policies Document - Local Plan Part 2 2020 for a residential development of between 120–160 homes, meaning it's been earmarked by the council for development ahead of developers putting forward plans.
The prospective developers have said the housing would improve pedestrian connectivity through the site, which in turn would benefit from naturally surveillance the new homes.
Lilian Towson, 79, a carer from Bilborough, added: "No [it won't be welcomed by the locals], we don't want people overlooking, bungalows are fine but they're not doing bungalows they're doing houses - we don't want it.
"There's a need for more bungalows here because there's a lot of elderly people here. They need to get us out of three bedroom houses into bungalows. But they don't do that."
Project planners said the area would benefit from new landscaping around the development and the provision of an improved public open space. They added this would "enhance and protect" the nearby St Martin of Tours Church and associated churchyard.
In a planning document, Marrons Planning, on behalf of applicant Strata, said: "The scheme proposes a high-quality development of 130 new dwellings, with associated landscaping, public open space, highways, parking and access. The proposals will bring forward housing to meet local needs, including 26 affordable homes (20 per cent).
"The proposals are of a scale that is proportionate to the size of the settlement and will not have any adverse affects in terms of highway safety, amenity of neighbours, flood risk, heritage, ecology or any other environmental requirements." The planning application is pending consideration by Nottingham City Council.
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