Green light for housing scheme on former school playing field

Plans to build more than 100 houses on a former school playing field in Nottingham have been granted.

Nottingham City Homes on behalf of Nottingham City Council will build 131 council homes in Bestwood.

The site used to be a playing field for the former Padstow School, Beckhampton Road which closed more than a decade ago.

After consultation with Sports England, the field is no longer required for its former use and has been released for housing.

However, around 50% of the site will be kept and improved for accessible green open space.

The houses will be owned by Nottingham City Council and managed by Nottingham City Homes and will be let to Nottingham people on the council house waiting list at affordable rents.

The next steps are to appoint a construction contractor and the aim is to start on site by early next year.

Nick Murphy, chief executive at Nottingham City Homes, said: “The Beckhampton development gives us a great opportunity to provide much needed council homes for local people in Bestwood, and we look forward to creating safe, warm and modern homes for the area.

“NCH has already built over 600 homes across the city for Nottingham people, but there is a real need for new social housing in Bestwood. We also have plans in place to transform the green and open space as part of the development which the whole community can enjoy.”

Cllr Linda Woodings of Nottingham City Council, said: “We are committed to investing in council housing across the city and these homes in Bestwood will go towards our commitment to build or buy 1,000 council and social homes for rent by 2023.

“We have worked with Nottingham City Homes to deliver hundreds of homes already and we will continue to invest in council housing, transforming sites across the city and creating much needed affordable housing for local people waiting for a home.”