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Background

What happened in 2006 ?

Developers and the land owner, Brian Wells, have wanted to build on the Greenbelt around Sharphill for years.

It came to a head in June 2006 when Rushcliffe Borough Council had an Extraordinary Meeting to vote on allocating this land for development.

The meeting was held in a sports hall to accomodate the four hundred people in the audience. It was a stormy gathering and the crowd was extremely hostile to the councilors who supported the development. After three hours a nail biting vote resulted in a majority of two against the plan.

So Sharphill was saved by a vote. And then two years later it all started again.

Why has the issue come back ?

In April 2008 David Wilson Homes put forward a new plan, this time more specific;

"Mixed use development of up to 1200 dwellings, primary school, business innovation centre, further education centre. 100 bed hotel, local centre with retail units, community building and health centre, sports facilities and community park. Associated roads and infrastructure, vehicle access from Melton Road and bus-only link to Musters Road, off-site highway improvements."

This second attempt was rejected by Rushcliffe Council in June 2008, perhaps remembering the adverse publicity they got two years earlier, or perhaps they followed the advice of the Council Officers and NCC Highways.

Why has the issue come back yet again ?

The developers appealed and an Inspector, John Gray instigated a Public Inquiry into the appeal. Barristers from each side have been cross examining witnesses for the last week at the Community Hall in West Bridgford. When the Inquiry ends on Wednesday 18th February, the Inspector will write his report and send it to Hazel Blears, the Secretary of State.

How will the final choice be made ?

Despite the public voting for councilors, and those councilors voting for us about Sharphill, the decision will fall to a single person, the Secretary of State, Hazel Blears, who has only been in her job for 18 months.