Sustainable Urban Extension Study - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

The Government requires all local councils to identify areas where new housing could be built over the next 25 years as the population and the demand for housing continues to grow.

In the Greater Nottingham area (the Hucknall part of Ashfield) local councils need to provide for around 60,000 new homes, although the exact numbers are not yet confirmed.

It is expected that over two-thirds of these homes could be accommodated in existing built up areas and on smaller sites that are already planned for.

However, some new and larger sites are likely to be needed. The sites will need to be suitable to provide sustainable places for people to live. Developments may include new homes, schools and other services such as sports facilities, shops and doctors surgeries. Some of them will also have their own transport links and create new jobs.

The report was commissioned by Ashfield District, Broxtowe Borough, Gedling Borough, Nottingham City, Rushcliffe Borough, Erewash Borough and Nottinghamshire County Councils, and Nottingham Regeneration Ltd were employed to project manage the study.

The consultants looked at the whole Greater Nottingham area and have identified a number of possible locations for housing development, setting out the pros and cons of each site. The study recommends that some areas are ruled out for reasons such as environmental sensitivity, heritage, risk of flooding and transport and congestion.

No decisions have been taken at this stage about where housing may be built. The relevant local council will make these decisions following consultation with residents and other stakeholders.

It is highly unlikely that all the areas identified in the report would be developed because almost double the amount of land that may be needed has been identified.

The report will form part of an evidence base for the authorities' joint working in preparing their Local Development Frameworks.

Local authorities are required to prepare Local Development Frameworks that will indicate the areas of land allocated for development. These documents, subject to full public consultation and then public inquiry, are where decisions are made on where housing (and employment and other land uses) should be built.

The Regional Spatial Strategy is otherwise known as the Regional Plan, and is awaiting proposed changes from the Secretary of State, following an Examination-in-Public in June 2007. This is expected to set out suggested house building rates for each district.

View or download the document "Appraisal of Sustainable Urban Extensions"