Airfield 'masterplan' approved

OUTLINE OF 4000-HOME ESTATE AGREED - BUT NO PLANNING PERMISSION AT THIS STAGE

- By JOSEPH CONNOLLY Local democracy reporter

developed encompasses the site of Nottingham City Airport, which closed in 2025

RUSHCLIFFE Borough Council has approved a masterplan outlining how a proposed new 4,000-home estate could look when built.

The supplementary planning document (SPD) for the plans for the development of land near Gamston and surrounding the former Tollerton Airfield, was brought before the council's cabinet at a meeting on Tuesday.

The SPD had originally been up for approval at a cabinet meeting in January, but members agreed to pause their decision in order to request more detail about how the roads surrounding the development might deal with a potential increase in traffic.

On Tuesday, satisfied with the responses they had received from the developers, the councillors agreed to accept the SPD - edging the point of the first work beginning on the land even closer.

Councillor Roger Upton, the cabinet member for housing, said: "This SPD is about guidance and an overview. It does not give any planning approval whatsoever. We don't have to have an SPD, but we believe it's better to have a plan than no plan at all.

"It should not and does not give any detail, but hopefully it will provide guidance for developers making planning applications in due course, and it will be a material planning consideration when we are determining those planning applications."

Proposals to build properties on land east of Gamston and Toller-ton have been in the works for more than 11 years, but have caused a backlash from campaigners who disagree with them.