People living in a village bordered by Nottingham City Airport say its possible closure to make way for 1,600 houses would be a 'great loss'. Developers Vistry Homes Ltd have applied to start the planning process to build on the airport itself, requesting environmental impact assessment scoping details from Rushcliffe Borough Council, ahead of a formal planning application being put forward.
"I think it's a dreadful thing. I was looking at some figures from the Department for Transport which said the average house generates around five car journeys per day so, if you multiply that by 1,600 houses, that's going to mean the roads around here get much busier." Last year, Brian Wells, one of the co-directors of Truman Aviation, said he wasn't confident the airport would remain in the future, when asked about development plans for the area.
One woman who has lived in the village for five years, and who did not want to be named, said: "We're not happy at all about the plans and losing the airport is a real shame because it does give this place some added character. The kids really love to see the planes flying over too." The 1,600 homes plan comes alongside separate proposals for the first phase of the vast Gamston Fields neighbourhood, involving the building of 2,250 houses on surrounding land. An outline planning application was previously submitted to Rushcliffe Borough Council for the homes on land to the north of Tollerton, land that forms part of the council's strategic housing allocation.
10 years in the making all started when they allowed spire hospital to be built