Hucknall: Council officers say no decision taken on Whyburn Farm but Independents confident proposals will be supported

And they also reaffirmed their confidence that the proposal would have no trouble passing either the local plan steering group, or the council’s cabinet, due to weight of numbers in the Independents’ favour on both groups.

As reported by the Dispatch last week, the Independents have announced that they intend to reduce the number of new houses they build from 8,000 to 5,000, so not hitting Government targets.

The 3,000 removed from the target would, the Independents say, be the 3,000 earmarked for the green belt land at Whyburn Farm.

The news was met with a mixed response by opposition parties and campaigners, who have demanded more clarification on whether the plans had indeed been scrapped.

A council spokesperson said: “The council has not yet made a decision in relation to the local plan but a range of options will be presented to members of the local plan working panel in September.

“The plan sets out the council’s intention of challenging the Government’s target of building over 8,000 new houses and avoiding housing growth in green belt areas across the district.

“The council will be moving forward to the next stage of its plan whereby residents will be consulted on reduced housing numbers."

An Ashfield Independents spokesperson said: “It (the proposal) will go to the next meeting of the local plan development panel on September 13 and then to the council’s cabinet on September 20.

"Bearing in mind that the Ashfield Independents have a large majority on the council, it is pretty obvious that the housing target will be reduced by thousands which will lead to Whyburn Farm being taken out of the next round of consultation.

"After a year of mixed messages from the Tories in Government, expediting our plan in this manner will add certainty for residents.

"This will also protect green belt areas like Whyburn Farm.

"Bearing in mind that Prime Minister-elect Liz Truss has stated that the housing targets are ‘Stalinist’, we believe that justifying this reduced housing target would be easier than some people think.

"Removing Whyburn Farm from the local plan shows that we are a listening council.

"We always promised to look carefully at the results of the first consultation and this proves it.

Coun Chris Baron (Con), who represents Hucknall West on the council, said: “If every local authority demanded a reduction of their numbers for future development, the country would be many thousands down on the requirement.

"In Ashfield there is an alternative – the large greenfield site at the top end of Kirkby and the site opposite Sutton Parkway can easily accommodate the shortfall.

"The Ashfield Independents will not consider these as they also have been ‘taken out of the plan’.

"The recent statement from the leader of the council is premature and pre determines any democratic decision before it has even come to members of the full council.

"Hucknall’s hope is with Coun John Wilmott (Ash Ind) as he is the only Hucknall member on the cabinet.

"He must use his powers of persuasion and influence to ensure our town is protected.

"Let’s hope a change in his attitude is forthcoming.

"Hucknall residents have got used to the jerrymongering and won’t be fooled by this ploy by the Ashfield Independents to mislead and con our residents.”

The Dispatch has also contacted Labour councillors for comment.