Village facing 4,000 new homes uniting to fight bid for 200 more

VILLAGERS are nearing the end of a fight - which they look set to lose - against a 4,000-home expansion around Tollerton.

- By JOSEPH CONNOLLY Local democracy reporter

Land in Tollerton that has been sold by a farmer for a planned development of 200 homes

But last month, a plan for another 200 homes, much closer to the village itself, was submitted to Rushcliffe Borough Council.

Acres of green land between the village and nearby Cotgrave and Gamston will be lost under the earlier plans.

Nottingham City Airport has also been closed for redevelopment.

A decision on whether or not to grant full planning permission for the project is likely this spring.

On Burnside Grove, near the farmland which would be the site of the newest homes, just a few dog walkers were out and a couple of people were on their driveways scraping ice from their car windscreens when we visited.

I pull up, by chance, next to Russell Farm Close, the street which is planned to be the sole access road for the new 200-home development.

So when a woman walks past my car and up the cul-de-sac a dead end - I wonder if it's something to do with the proposals.

It is.

She is Kathryn Bull, here to have a look at the site before she puts in another online objection, having already registered one.

She tells me she moved to Tollerton from Cotgrave four years ago because that was getting "swallowed up". Now, she says, so is Tollerton.

"It's bonkers," says the 59-year old. "We went to live in Keyworth - but that's getting swallowed up. We have friends in Ruddington - that's getting swallowed up. Edwalton too. It's crazy.