More than £1 million is to be spent kickstarting a stalled project to build more than 100 homes on a brownfield site in Langley Mill.
East Midlands Mayor, Labour’s Claire Ward, has signed off on a decision to give £1.3 million to housebuilder Keepmoat Homes to bring forward its plans to build 119 homes on brownfield land off Amber Drive, Langley Mill.
The brownfield site, next to the railway line, is host to hazardous contamination and has been disused for years.
Now the land is set for a new lease of life after a mayoral decision notice says Keepmoat would receive £1.36 million to support the building of 119 homes, all of which would all be allocated for rent only.
Plans for the site were submitted in October 2018 and approved in September 2024.
Of the homes, 10 would be one-bed houses, 22 would be two-bed houses, 59 would be three-bed houses, 10 would be four-bed houses and 18 would be two-bed apartments.
The notice says: “The homes will make a substantial contribution to the annual homes required for delivery as identified in the local authority’s Housing Land Supply strategy.”
It says the overall scheme will cost £25.2 million, with homes to meet energy efficiency rating B, and to include the remediation of seven acres of brownfield land.
The notice says: “The scheme enables provision of market rent housing in response to demand that would not have otherwise been delivered. It secures health benefits through delivery of enhanced energy standards.
“Without support, the scheme would not proceed and the demand for market rent homes will adversely impact affordability in this location.”
An application to sign off on remediation and ground gas protection methods on the site has now been filed with Amber Valley Borough Council and will be decided in the next few months.
In this application, experts have advised that there is a “low risk of hazardous ground gas” from former mining activities, but still recommend that all homes be fitted with gas-resistant membranes and on top of ventilated sub-floor voids.
An EMCCA spokesperson said: “While there is a Mayoral Decision Notice approval for Langley Mill, independent due diligence is ongoing and we cannot comment further until that process completes.”
Keepmoat Homes has been approached for comment.
During the consideration of these homes, separate interlocking 54-flat plans from private landowner Paul Hearn, stemming from Station Road, next to the Langley Mill Miners’ Welfare and Social Club, have been rejected by the council and approved at appeal by a Government inspector.
Borough councillors rejected the plans in April 2024 against the advice from officers and stern warnings from their legal advisor about an expected appeal loss.
Government inspector K Savage approved the plans at appeal last June, despite the scheme no longer providing any contributions to affordable housing, school expansion or healthcare improvements, on viability grounds.
