A new bridge over the River Trent and improved junctions will be needed as Rushcliffe’s population swells, the borough councillor responsible for housing has warned.
Rushcliffe MP James Naish (Lab) raised the rapid expansion as an issue during the General Election campaign.
The government is also now proposing new mandatory housing targets, which would require the local authority to build another 222 homes per year – an increase of almost a third.
Councillor Roger Upton (Con), the portfolio holder for planning and housing at Rushcliffe Borough Council said:
‘The area can cope with the building but more infrastructure will be needed to support new residents.
‘Some people will say ‘enough is enough’ but there’s always going to be demand for housing,”
‘Rushcliffe can cope through a mix of infill developments and major sites, which can provide up to 4,000 homes together.
‘The problem is that developers only start putting the schools, doctors, shops and other infrastructure in once they’re halfway through building.
‘We always consult with health services and highways about infrastructure needs, and we have a pot of £40m of developers’ money that they can ask for.”
Radcliffe-on-Trent is one of the rapidly-expanding areas, with its population expected to increase thanks to five new housing estates at various stages.
“The feeling in the village has been mixed to all the building,” Cllr Upton, who represents the area, says.
“There will soon be 2,000 new people in a village of 8,000. It certainly puts pressure on roads and healthcare.
“But I’ve met new residents from all over the UK – Portsmouth, Bedfordshire, Yorkshire – who are being attracted to Rushcliffe because of the great quality of life.”
Keyworth, Ruddington and Bingham are other parts of the borough which could potentially see large expansion.
Cllr Upton, a retired charted surveyor, acknowledged the quicker building pace will put more pressure on road improvements.
“We would certainly love a new bridge over the Trent – I’ve been asking for that for a long time,” he said.
“Traffic becomes very difficult whenever Clifton Bridge is closed, and ideally it could link up with the A46/A52 junction and relieve that pressure.
“Hopefully it’s something that East Midlands Mayor Claire Ward will support.
“We also need to be looking at the A453, which is very busy and will only get worse when the Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station closes and is redeveloped.”
A pedestrian and cycle bridge in Lady Bay was recently given approval as the first new bridge crossing over the Trent in 60 years.
Cllr Upton agrees there needs to be more smaller houses built for first-time buyers and older families who are downsizing.
However, this relies on negotiations between developers and council officers over what is financially viable.
He says that the planning system has becoming “increasingly onerous” since his career in construction, and is pleased to hear Labour’s proposed reforms to speed it up.
A Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government spokesperson said: “We are in a housing crisis so all areas of the country must play their part in ending it by building the homes we need.
“We will work in partnership with councils so we can deliver 1.5 million homes over the next five years, while ensuring that we also create the vital infrastructure that people need in their communities.”
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