UPDATE: Ashfield Independents confirm they will attend public meeting on controversial Whyburn Farm housing plans

Coun John Wilmott, who represents Hucknall North, will join the four other speakers at the meeting – Coun Lauren Mitchell (Lab), Coun Kevin Rostance, Jonathan Bhushan and Jemma Chambers – which is on Saturday, October 16 at 10.30am at the John Godber Centre.

A row had broken out after council leader Coun Jason Zadrozny said he had been turned down for attending the meeting,

But organisers said this was not the case and that they had simply requested that the Independents send one representative who was a Hucknall councillor, as the other parties had done, in the interest of fairness.

And the Independents now say Coun Wilmott will attend on the day.

He said: “I will be pleased to attend the meeting on behalf of the Ashfield Independent councillors to spell out exactly why we are opposed to any development at Whyburn Farm and other green belt areas in Hucknall.

"This includes explaining why we as councillors are against arbitrary housing targets set out by the Government and the campaign to reduce them.”

Up to 200 people will be able to attend the meeting and stewards will be on hand to direct people safely to their seats, hand out information sheets and ensure an orderly departure at the end of the meeting.

The stage table will have a hand microphone and there will be a roving microphone to allow for comments from the floor.

All speakers are being asked to restrict their comments to no more than five minutes to allow for more public participation.

Someone will also take notes of comments throughout the meeting so that they can be circulated afterwards on various social media platforms.

There will be an additional table at the rear of the hall to allow people to sign a petition against the development should they wish to and have not already done so.

Everyone attending is asked to follow Covid regulations and advice at all times.