700 give views at eco-town displays
Almost 130 people attended the final public exhibition outlining plans to develop a 6,000 home eco-town at former RAF Newton.
In total, around 700 people have visited the exhibitions held at Bingham, East Bridgford, Radcliffe and Shelford.
They were organised by the three landowners of RAF Newton, The Crown Estate, Defence Estates and Newton and Nottingam LLP.
They have identified three options in which a sustainable community of up to 6,000 homes, facilities and green open spaces could be developed.
The final display was held at the Old Courthouse, Bingham, last week.
Information was displayed on boards and by using projectors in the council chamber. Representatives from each organisation were on hand to answer any questions.
Visitors were invited to give their thoughts on how best an eco-town community might be delivered by completing questionnaires.
The findings will be included in a submission to the Department for Communities and Local Government.
Mrs Colleen Rothwell (45) of Trenchard Close, Newton, and her daughter, Sophie Rothwell (19) who live close to the proposed site, visited the exhibition.
Mrs Rothwell said: “We moved there because it’s quiet. You don’t want to see it on your doorstep.
“I want to see Newton sorted out because there is nothing. We know things have got to move on. The properties there have gone to rack and ruin but this doesn’t make sense.”
Sophie, a cadet with the Newton 1936 Squadron Air Training Corps, based at RAF Newton, said: “If they take away the base we cannot do anything. It will have to close. We use it for all our big competitions.”
She said if the plans were to go ahead, public transport would have to improve.
“The bus doesn’t always turn up in Newton and when it does, it’s late,” she said.
Sophie said the exhibition was useful but she still disagreed with the eco-town.
She said: “Speaking to people makes me understand it more. It’s better one to one. We have been getting their side of the story.”
Mrs Jane Costello (62) of Sorrel Drive, Bingham, agreed that Newton needed redeveloping.
“Something needs to be done but it doesn’t need to swallow half of the countryside,” she said.
“I don’t think it needs to be so big. A small housing development is really all that is needed.”
Mr and Mrs John Carberry of Chelsea Mews, Saxondale, went to the exhibition to get an idea of the effect that the eco-town would have on the environment.
Mr Carberry (68) said: “We think it will be unsuitable.
“If you have 6,000 houses, there will be two cars per household and on average they will make four journeys a day. Where are these cars going to fit on the A46 and the A52?
“This is a rural area and if it is built Bingham will disappear.”
Mrs Judy Carberry (62) said they did not realise how close it would be to their homes until they saw the plans on Thursday.
A representative of The Crown Estate, Mr Thomas Atcheson, said the majority of people at the exhibition were concerned about the A46 and A52.
He said: “Next on the list is facilities like health centres and schools. There are also lots of little personal issues people have.
“There has been quite a lot of support for improving that site. They agree something needs to be done.
“Some people came there almost expecting to see finished houses and street maps.
“We are very early in the process and are really looking at the viability of putting a development there.”
Mr Jamie Lewis, from Newton and Nottingham LLP, said he thought the Government would make plans to improve the two roads a top priority if the eco-town went ahead.
The Newton scheme is part of the Government’s plans to build ten eco-towns around the country by 2020.
They will be designed to be environmentally friendly and self-sustainable.
The information in the exhibition and the questionnaire is available at www.newtonecotown.com, or an information pack is available by telephoning 0845 450 3210.
