More talks planned over eco-town

Up to 6,000 homes could be planned for the eco-town

No new decisions about the possibility of building an eco-town on land in Nottinghamshire have been reached, according to councillors.

An emergency meeting was held to discuss plans for the former RAF base at Newton, after Rushcliffe was listed as a possible eco-town location.

Almost 80 people attended the meeting on Thursday night, the majority to oppose the building of 6,000 homes.

The matter will now be referred to a development group for consideration.

A developer first proposed a site at Kingston, near Gotham, for an eco-town but this was rejected by the government as unsuitable.

However the government then asked for an alternative site in Rushcliffe to be put forward.

'For or against'

Although Rushcliffe Borough Council leader Neil Clarke said at the time of the shortlist announcement no other sites had been discussed, the council's chief executive Allen Graham sent out a letter saying several sites had been considered but the only suitable one was RAF Newton.

Councillor Clarke said: "The information about Newton wasn't at all clear because the government hadn't actually said anything to councillors that they wanted Newton, it was the officers who identified that a couple of months previously as the largest brownfield site available."

But Rushcliffe's Liberal Democrat leader Chris Evans said he was disappointed with the way the matter had been handled.

"The reason we had to have this meeting is that the cabinet, when the government first issued the statement about eco-towns, should have made a decision and...had a stance either for or against it.

"At the moment, they have been taking decisions in a vacuum which is unacceptable."

The Local Development Framework Group will now consider if an eco-town is acceptable as part of Rushcliffe's future housing development plan.

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