New Housing Scheme Will Not Go Ahead
A new housing scheme which would have been one of the largest in the East Midlands will now not go ahead, after plans were withdrawn by developers.
It ends a 12-year battle by campaigners, who said the development was out of proportion, and that the infrastructure around it would not be able to cope.
It had been planned that a primary school, industrial areas, shops, restaurants and a health centre would all be built, with a new relief road constructed as part of the site.
Known as Mowlands, it was set to be built on predominantly greenfield land south of the A38, and to the West of Kirkby-in-Ashfield.
Part of the site had been included in the Ashfield Local Plan – a lengthy technical document which outlines where housebuilding is likely to be approved.
However the local plan was withdrawn when the Ashfield Independents took control of the district council, and while a new one is still in the process of being drawn up, it is not expected to include Mowlands.
This means planning permission would have been much more difficult to obtain, so no new application is likely to be brought for the site for the 20-year duration of the new local plan.
Following the decision to withdraw the local plan, developers Westerman Homes decided to pull its planning application altogether.