Road Network Concerns Emerge Over Proposed £23.1M Housing Development in Sutton-in-Ashfield

A proposal valued at £23.1 million for the construction of 84 new residences in a Nottinghamshire town has been unveiled. However, this development, situated off Fisher Close in Sutton-in-Ashfield, has generated apprehension that the existing road infrastructure in the vicinity may become overburdened and hazardous. Avant Homes Central, the developer, formally submitted comprehensive plans for its Silverhill Edge project to Ashfield District Council on Monday. This scheme had received outline approval in May 2023. Nevertheless, Helen-Ann Smith, who serves as both a Nottinghamshire county and Ashfield district councillor for the locality, has stated that the intersection at Fisher Close “cannot cope” with the current volume of residential properties. Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, she remarked: “Developers are crawling all over Ashfield – no green land is safe.“The junction of Fisher Close clearly cannot cope with the current number of houses, never mind a further 84, and I think the application for this site is for far too many houses.” An initial ‘outline’ approval for this location was previously issued in May 2023, and the detailed plans for the complete design have now been lodged. Matt Barker, the director in charge at Avant Homes Central, commented that the site represents “a fantastic location” for the developer to construct “a new thriving community”. The proposed development would comprise homes with two, three, four, and five bedrooms, with eight of these units designated as affordable housing. Due to apprehensions regarding highway safety and the “intensification” of the site, Ms Smith has requested that the application be reviewed and decided by the district council’s planning committee. Should the plans gain approval, construction is anticipated to commence in August 2025, with the initial occupants projected to take residence by April 2026.