Have your say on long-term plans for development of Amber Valley

Posted by: Laura Hammond

Tue 19th July 2022

People living in Alfreton are being invited to help shape long-term plans for the development of the Amber Valley.

Amber Valley Borough Council has launched a consultation ahead of its new Local Plan, which will set out a framework for things such as housing and economic growth up to 2039.

The consultation follows an earlier survey last year on options for the scale and distribution of housing and economic growth.

Amber Valley Borough Council needs to provide at least 7,885 additional homes by 2039.

According to the new consultation, the majority of responses to the earlier survey “favoured the option of focusing a higher proportion of growth on the edge of and around the Derby urban area, with the main reason given by respondents being to protect the Green Belt”.

The option of concentrating most growth around Alfreton, Belper, Heanor and Ripley received the least number of favourable responses.

However, the proposal in the new consultation is to build some new housing around the four main towns. The report highlights proposed locations for 1,894 homes in Amber Valley.

In Alfreton, the proposal is to build 60 new homes at Outseats Farm.

The consultation also asks residents’ views on affordable housing, economic growth sites and climate change.

The council said: “Residents, businesses and community groups are being encouraged to have their say on ambitious long-term plans that will help shape our borough over the next 15 to 20 years.

“We are now providing a further chance for people to have input on its proposals for new homes, business growth and local services.

“This further opportunity is part of the preparation of the new Local Plan for Amber Valley, which will set a framework for future development in the borough up to 2039.

“The new Local Plan will be used by the borough council to guide decisions on planning applications and to support work with developers.”

The consultation will close on September 2.

You can view the consultation in full – and have your say – here.