Village to boom in size after plan for 74 homes is given green light
Residents in Aslockton are worried about what impact a new housing development will have on their small village.
Despite strong objections from the majority of residents, Midlands housebuilder Avant Homes has been given the green light for a new £21 million development, where it will build 74 three, four and five-bedroom homes over the next two years.
The 11-acre site in the village – 12 miles west of Grantham – will provide a mixture of family properties, both semi-detached and detached.
Aslockton currently has a population of just under 1,000 people. Despite its small size, the village boasts a pub, school, a restaurant, tearoom, shop and a nursing and residential home for the elderly. The village railway station has regular services to Nottingham, Spalding and Skegness.
Chairman of Aslockton Parish Council Mansfield Barker has been battling against the proposals since they were first submitted in 2014.
He said: “There are currently 396 houses within the village. The addition of a further 74 homes will drastically increase the size of the village and we simply do not have the facilities to cope with the extra demand that it will have on our local amenities.”
Residents are now concerned that a separate planning application for a further 50 houses to be built on land north of Cliffhill Lane will get approved next month. Mr Barker is planning to attend the hearing in June.
He said: “If the application is accepted and another 50 homes are built, our village would have grown by 30 per cent.”
Work on the new development is expected to start in the next few months with the first homes ready for sale by September. The overall build programme is expected to be completed in 2019.
Avant Homes Midlands managing director Glyn Mabey said: “Our focus is on delivering high quality homes with a difference in desirable locations and the semi-rural setting of Aslockton – only a short commuter drive from Nottingham – makes it a popular location for buyers.”
Aswell as the housing development, Avant will contribute approximately £300,000 towards the improvement of local amenities, education provision, sports facilities and transport infrastructure.
Martin Ward, director of East Midlands surveyors Mather Jamie, which advised on the land sale, said: “This development will provide Aslockton with much-needed new homes, which will be in keeping with the area’s surroundings. It is in a well-located position off Abbey Lane, within walking distance of the local primary school, railway station and other excellent amenities.”