People say putting 30 council houses on a Sutton recreation ground "won't work" as concerns are raised about traffic and the loss of green space. One couple say they may even have to move if plans go ahead to build the houses on the Hardwick Lane Recreation Ground.
Ashfield District Council announced plans earlier in the week to build 200 more council houses over the next four years. As part of this, the authority has identified two sites where 47 properties could be situated.
One is a parcel of land at the end of Central Avenue in Kirkby and the other is Hardwick Lane. Some of those living on the latter say they are worried about the plans.
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Maria Linfield, 44, lives right next to the Hardwick Lane Recreation Ground and said: "We did get wind of this and we're not very happy about it. Our daughter has a rare genetic condition affecting her heart and lungs and she won't be able to go outside whilst the building is happening because she can't inhale all the dust and pollution it will cause.
"She won't even be able to go in our back garden whilst it's happening. One of the reasons we moved here 16 years ago is because there was this open green space right next door to us."
Maria's partner, 44-year-old Daniel Johnson, added: "I can see us having to move, I know what's coming." An Ashfield District Council spokesperson says the Hardwick Lane Recreation Ground is only a potential site at this stage, with consultation work still needed before any further decisions are made.
The authority also says it will listen to all feedback from local residents and update them with plans when it is able to do so. Alan Stevens, 70, lives in Kirkby and regularly uses the recreation ground.
He said: "It doesn't really look big enough for 30 houses. I walk down here regularly and it is definitely used a lot by dog walkers, I walk mine on there myself regularly.
"There used to be a lot more on there, there were some changing rooms they took away years ago and playing equipment that got taken away as well. I think they've had this plan in mind for a while."
Also regularly passing through is Kirkby resident Ron Hall, 75, who said: "I used to be in the building trade and it is quite surprising how much they can get on these bits of land now. You can get ten across the bottom of it for a start easily.
"I'm in two minds about it really because I do see this used a lot by dog walkers. But people have got to have places to live and there is Sutton Lawn not far at all from here which is quite big."
An Ashfield District Council cabinet meeting on June 26 heard that residents were "crying out" for more council housing, with one councillor claiming an average of 200 bids are currently being received on properties. The meeting also approved the start of a consultation with residents on changing the use of Hardwick Lane Recreation Ground from being open space to housing.
Another Hardwick Lane resident is Neil Bloomfield, 48, who lives right opposite the recreation ground. He said: "The problem is the amount of traffic you get on this street anyway, with the industrial units and garages at the bottom.
"Sometimes you can't even get your car parked outside your own house. I don't think it will work."
Councillor John Wilmott, who represents Hucknall North, spoke about the need for housing at Monday's meeting by saying: "We have people crying out loud for housing and the only thing we can do to help is to make sure we have the housing available. We haven't at the present time, because there are so many people out there that want a property."
