Controversial proposals for housing on Borrowash green space released

New proposals have been released, for homes on an area of public green open space that has been used for decades in Borrowash.

The proposed development for Harrington Green near to Harrington Avenue and Ashbrook Avenue includes 29 homes described as "affordable". The news is being hailed by the independent group, Ockbrook and Borrowash Neighbourhood Network as "exactly what the village needs."

A statement on social media said: "With so many local people struggling to find a home they can afford, this is a fantastic opportunity to help families stay in our great parish. These homes will provide a real boost for our community, ensuring more people can live and thrive in Borrowash."

A mixture of 1, 2 and 3 bed houses is proposed however, members of the OBNN which represents the interests of local residents on the Parish Council emphasised that the plans were merely a proposal at this stage and nothing was anywhere near decided, however, they also said that it was a "step forward" in knowing what might be coming the way of local people.

The update comes after the land, which has been public open space for decades, was fenced off in early September 2024 as part of what a borough council notice stated was "the conveyancing process" - one of several stretches of green space across the borough put up for sale by the previous Conservative led formation of the authority.

Posting on line on Thursday 17th October 2024, Labour Borough Councillor Greg Maskalick said that process to sell the land was reaching the final stages with solicitors and added that the borough council expected the sale to be completed in the next few weeks.

He clarified that the footpath which dissects the land is NOT a public right-of-way, but was instead, just a short-cut from one end of the field to the other that was created by regular footfall by residents over a period of time.  He added that Erewash Borough Council had subsequently gravelled it to make the walking surface as level as possible with a view to preventing injuries to those using the route, but added: "It was never a public footpath and does not meet the criteria of a public footpath in law."

Speaking at the time, he stressed the importance of looking at the planning application when it became available for public scrutiny and added: "The best we can do is put in a request to planning that there is some sort of public walk way put through" but that such a request was not guaranteed but nevertheless "worth fighting for".