Mapperley residents fear looming plans for 700 new homes will cause traffic chaos.
Plans are set to be lodged with Gedling Borough Council to expand the land east of Mapperley Plains by hundreds of homes.
Fields east of Mapperley Plains, spanning from Spring Lane in the south to Brookfields Garden Centre in the north, have previously been allocated under the authority’s draft local plan for 650 homes.
Now, land promoter Barwood Lane and developer Cameron Homes, which is currently building 57 properties on the other side of Mapperley Plains, have announced plans for up to 700 homes.
Janet Pates, 77, who has lived near the fields for 20 years, said: “I know people have got to have homes – I hope they’re reasonably priced.
“My main concern is transport. If they stuck another tram in that would be a different matter.
“I think it’s going to be very, very congested and I suppose the best point of access would be opposite the island [off Coppice Road] and have traffic lights… I like to think people have somewhere to live.”
Another resident, who asked to remain anonymous and has lived in the area for around 13 years, said they thought a future development would be “horrendous”.
They said: “It’s going to ruin that green belt land which tons of people use and enjoy… I didn’t object to the smaller developments [nearby], but I did point out we have major flooding issues here.
“If you’re going to concrete that it’ll massively worsen the flooding issues.”
The resident said people are frequently “crawling” in cars when travelling to the area from Mapperley, where a journey can take around 20 to 30 minutes.
They continued they were “vehemently” against the looming plans, adding: “It’s an exceptionally beautiful place to put housing on. I understand [people need housing] but this isn’t where they need it.
“To put that much traffic on this tiny road – I wouldn’t walk on this road anymore because of the [car] fumes.”
Mapperley, part of the Nottingham urban sprawl, has already been expanding with Davidsons Homes’ Alexandra Place development on the western side of Mapperley Plains.
David, who has lived near the fields for 55 years, said that Mapperley Plains “can’t cope” with current traffic volumes.
He said: “Come here on a Sunday – there are cars going out bumper to bumper and coming back bumper to bumper.
“I’m sort of neutral. I’d sooner it be homes than a factory or a building for AI [centres], like what we’ve seen.”
Preliminary documents as part of this initial planning application state acknowledge there would be an increase in traffic from a potential development, but states the project would try to mitigate this “in
the form of two new access points onto Mapperley Plains”, adding initial transport work does not indicate a traffic level that could not be “appropriately mitigated”.
It also states the site is not considered to be at risk of flooding and would “therefore not increase the risk of flooding elsewhere”.
According to a flood map, only small parts of the site are at risk of surface water flooding, and “significant” drainage systems would be installed on site to manage surface water runoff.
“Further technical work is underway, and Barwood Land is now collaborating with adjacent landowners Cameron Homes, demonstrating how both land parcels can deliver in excess of 600 homes,” Barwood said on its website.
“Barwood Land anticipates the submission of a planning application, following the site’s identification as a draft allocation, by the end of 2026.”
Another key bit of green space in Mapperley is also at risk of being used for housing.
The “jewel in the crown” of the area, Mapperley Golf Club, located off Central Avenue, could also have hundreds of homes built on it.
Gedling Borough Council also included the land in its emerging local plan, indicating up to 750 homes could be built on the 18-hole site.
Members of the club have been campaigning this year to save the space and get it removed from the authority’s Local Plan, highlighting the social and health benefits for people, particularly elderly members.
