Major construction works are expected to begin in the coming months on the vast £800m neighbourhood on the outskirts of Clifton.
3,000 homes are due to be built at what is described as ‘one of the largest housing and employment developments in the East Midlands’.
Exploratory groundworks have already begun as part of the Fairham project, south of Clifton, off the A453 Remembrance Way, as engineers plan for future road improvements at the Mill Hill junction.
A site compound will be installed before additional enabling and ground works took place last month around Nottingham Road, which will allow wider construction to progress through the latter part of this year and into 2021.
Conservative Councillor Roger Upton, Rushcliffe Borough Council’s cabinet member for housing and planning, said: “This is one of the largest housing and employment developments in the East Midlands, in the region.
“I am pleased that some significant progress is starting on site now with the road infrastructure. I am looking forward to the actual start on site of the new housing and the employment buildings.
“It’s a gateway development into the greater Nottingham conurbation and Rushcliffe Borough Council areas.It’s close to East Midlands Airport. It’s a very significant site.”
Fairham, known as Clifton Pastures, will be brought forward in phases over a 10 to 15-year period.
The tram network could also be extended as part of the ambitious project which has outline planning permission, meaning the development can go ahead in principle, ahead of more detailed proposals being submitted.
Outline permission was passed for one million square feet of employment space, a primary school, community and sports facilities, a neighbourhood centre and more than 200 acres of green space across the 606-acre site.
Derbyshire-based Clowes Developments is working with Homes England, the Government’s housing accelerator, on the Fairham project. Winvic Construction Ltd has been appointed as the main contractor for the first phase of infrastructure works.
Land and planning director for Clowes Developments, Robert Hepwood, said: “We have a long track record of working with Winvic on delivering complex and large-scale schemes across the country.Welcoming them on to the Fairham site is an important first step towards bringing the new homes, infrastructure and employment opportunities of the neighbourhood to fruition.
“Fairham is a crucial development for the East Midlands and it will demonstrate how vital the local economy is after the events of earlier this year. Over the coming 12 months we will be progressing the site at pace by working closely with our partners and the public will soon see some big changes to the landscape as we move forward.”
A public exhibition was arranged last November where some local residents raised concerns about the potential increase in traffic.
