PROFILE

Keyworth

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Introduction What’s this profile all about? Rushcliffe Borough is well known for its attractive towns and villages, rich farmland and rolling countryside. It is perceived to be an affluent area and one in which people want to live and work. Despite the economic downturn, these pressures for growth in Rushcliffe will continue both in the short and longer term. Looking at the towns and villages which make up Rushcliffe in greater detail, however, it is clear that each is very different, with diverse communities, different pressures, needs and ambitions for their local area. The production of this Parish Profile is designed to provide a picture of what has happened within a village or town during recent years and to identify what may happen in the future. The profile has been put together in order to provide support for the Borough Council’s Fresh Approach campaign. It is hoped that the profiles will bring out some of the key issues in relation to your village, and will provide a starting point to have discussions on future development in your village. The profile pulls together many sources of information, including statistics from the village showing what has happened in recent years and what may happen in the future if trends continue.

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The leaflet also provides a brief summary of what people have told us about Keyworth in response to previous consultations carried out by the Council regarding development in the Borough and from the Keyworth Village Plan. This information is grouped into topics including age, the environment, employment, education and the local economy. Obviously, what some people have said may not necessarily be supported by everyone. Localism – what does this mean for future planning within the Borough? The Borough Council is required to develop long-term plans for the future development of Rushcliffe. These plans still have to be supported by sound factual evidence, however, we now have more scope to develop plans that are truly local to the needs of Rushcliffe. For example, we are no longer given housing targets by Government and now instead have to come up with our own. However, we are still required to justify any levels of new housing we provide for. Local communities will also have a chance to develop their own community-led plan should they wish to do so once Rushcliffe’s development plan is in place. It is, therefore, important that Rushcliffe’s plans for the development of the Borough broadly reflect each community’s needs and wishes.

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Keyworth as a place General Keyworth is situated approximately 8 miles to the south east of Nottingham City Centre on the fringes of the Nottinghamshire Wolds. Keyworth was not a large village until the middle of the 20th Century when a number of new estates were planned and built. The Green Belt boundary is tightly drawn around Keyworth, with recent development within the village limited to small infill schemes and the redevelopment of redundant brownfield sites. Keyworth is a service centre for some of the surrounding villages, providing schooling, shops, health facilities and recreational activities. Facilities and Economy The village has a number of well supported local facilities, including an active village hall, several play areas, outdoor sports facilities and allotments. The health centre has recently been rebuilt. Keyworth also contains one of the Borough’s leisure centres. Keyworth has a local shopping centre which is focused around the church, and two smaller shopping parades. There are three small supermarkets within Keyworth, one located within each of the shopping areas. The British Geological Survey is located on the edge of the village and is Keyworth’s largest employer. There

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has been some expansion to the facility in recent years. It provides services and advice to governments and businesses worldwide. There are a number of smaller businesses within Keyworth and a number of small workshops on Debdale Lane. Whilst there is, therefore, some local employment within Keyworth, the majority of the workforce predominantly commutes to Nottingham. Average incomes within the area are high amongst the working population.

What You Told Us

Additional seating and toilets are required.

It is considered that a Teen Park is required for young people 13-18.

A smaller version of Rushcliffe Country Park would be a great enhancement in terms of nature conservation

and as a leisure facility.

The British Geological Survey site could meet the economic needs of a wide area if space was used

wisely to create further business opportunities. These must not however adversely reflect on the character

of the village.

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Some businesses might wish to expand; there would therefore be a requirement for low cost office space if

these businesses are to be retained.

There is no need for another supermarket within Keyworth.

Keeping the leisure centre open should be considered a priority

There is a need for more allotments in the village to cope with demand.

Transportation Road connections Keyworth lies in the corridor of the A606 Nottingham to Melton road, although direct access is via minor roads through Plumtree, Stanton on the Wolds and Normanton on the Wolds. The A606 suffers from congestion at peak times in the Nottingham direction, with traffic queuing to access the Wheatcroft roundabout. There are improvements planned to this junction if the development at Melton Road, Edwalton goes ahead. There are a number of minor roads which connect Keyworth to surrounding villages and the A60 Loughborough Road.

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Public Transport

There are a number of bus services that run to and from Keyworth, the majority of which are subsidised. The only unsubsidised bus service which serves Keyworth connects the village with Nottingham and runs every 15 minutes during the day. There are hourly services during the day to various destinations including Cotgrave, Bingham, East Leake, the Queens Medical Centre and Beeston. There are also infrequent services that connect Keyworth with some of the surrounding villages.

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What You Told Us

New development would result in an increase in traffic and add to existing problems and demands on

infrastructure and services.

Most people living in Keyworth commute to Nottingham and elsewhere for work, however there is

also a counter current of inward commuters to workplaces in Keyworth.

There could be a ring road around Keyworth or a tram terminus on the old railway line.

Environment There are a number of environmental designations within the surrounding countryside. There is one Local Nature Reserve which is located at Keyworth Meadow and three Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation. Nowhere within Keyworth is at serious risk of flooding from rivers or streams. There are a number of areas of both formal and informal open space within the village. The agricultural land that surrounds Keyworth is predominantly grade 3 with some areas of higher grade 2 land around the west and north of the village.

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What You Told Us

Existing green spaces and verges should be preserved and enhanced and new ones should be developed with uses such as public gardens/rest

areas.

A smaller version of Rushcliffe Country Park would be a great enhancement in terms of nature conservation and as a leisure facility, especially if it were linked to

an extended foot/cycle path network.

Your Population Keyworth’s population declined by 7% between 1991 and 2005, falling an additional percent by 20091. This contrasts with the National and Borough trend of an increasing population. This is because levels of local housebuilding have not been high enough to counter declines in the average number of people living in each household.

1 source: 1991 and 2001 Censuses, 2009 population estimates.

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Keyworth has a significantly higher proportion of people that are of pensionable age (around 30%) compared to the Borough as a whole (21%) and the nation (19%). The village also has a lower than average number of younger people and people of working age compared to Borough and national averages.

Keyworth: Age profile (2009)

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What You Told Us

There is a need for additional bungalows for older people.

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Complexes for elderly people should be provided to allow them to live independently but with a level of

support.

The Wrights Garage site is suitable for elderly persons housing.

There is a need for affordable housing for local young people to allow them to stay in the village.

There is a need for two bedroom houses for sale – the hope is that children of those living in Keyworth can

get on the housing ladder and stay in the area.

Housing House Prices and Incomes The average house price in the Keyworth North ward at the end of 2009 (£317,733) is one of the highest average prices for the Borough. It is considerably higher than the average for the same period in England and Wales (£210,774) and Rushcliffe (£208,074) as a whole. Conversely the average house price for Keyworth South during the same period was £181,409, which is lower than both the national average and the Rushcliffe average (source: Land Registry 2009). These disparities are repeated in relation to other indicators. Parts of Keyworth are very affluent whilst

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some areas, particularly to the west of the village, are not as well off. The mean average income for Keyworth North was £38,776 in 2009 and £33,390 for Keyworth South2. An average priced house in Keyworth North would cost around 8 times the average household income, with an average priced house in Keyworth South costing around 5.5 times the average income. There are high levels of owner occupation in Keyworth North (95.6%) and Keyworth South (81.1%) in comparison to the Rushcliffe levels (78%). The average rental prices in Keyworth North in March 2009 also indicated that the area has an affordability problem, with huge deficits between the rent and the amounts that Local Housing Allowance covers. Although average rental price in Keyworth South is below the Rushcliffe average, there is still a significant deficit between rent and the Local Housing Allowance.

2 PayCheck data.

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Recent Development

Change in the number of properties in Keyworth 2001-2010

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There have been 59 new dwellings completed within Keyworth between 2001 and 2010, 29 of these are general market housing and 30 are affordable houses. However, 41 apartments for the elderly were lost at Debdale House, leading to a net gain of only 18 properties. The graph above shows the types of houses that have been built in Keyworth over the last few years. Although the number of new houses in Keyworth has increased slightly in recent years, the building of new houses has not been fast enough to prevent the overall

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population of Keyworth from falling. The graph below shows a comparison.

Keyworth: Percentage population change and additional dwellings, 2001-2009

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Housing need Housing waiting lists are a starting point for a broad indication of affordable housing need. However, waiting lists need to be treated with a degree of caution as there may duplication in numbers of people on the register across the Borough. People can put down a number of preferred locations. The table below indicates the number of people that are on the housing waiting list for Keyworth. The graph indicates the type of housing that applicants are eligible for rather than what they have requested –

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i.e. single people or couples below pensionable age would only be eligible for a 1 bedroom flat.

Waiting List Figures: Keyworth

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Opportunities for Housing In April 2010, there were 11 separate planning permissions for new housing development in Keyworth, which includes 48 at Selby Lane designed for older people. It is unlikely that this limited supply will be sufficient over coming years to provide the range and choice of housing needed to satisfy the differing needs of the population and reverse the trend of depopulation. There are few opportunities for further development within the built up part Keyworth. This means that if new housing is wanted, areas adjacent to the

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settlement in the Green Belt would have to be considered for development.

The Rushcliffe Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA) 2010,3 which was undertaken by the Borough Council, identifies sites that may have potential for residential development. It also identifies what constraints there are for each site, how many units could potentially be accommodated on them and when they could potentially be delivered. The map on the next page shows the sites that have been included in the 2010 SHLAA. The map below shows some of the constraints that exist. 3 http://www.rushcliffe.gov.uk/doc.asp?docid=11306&catid=10895

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Responses submitted by local community groups and members of the public to previous planning consultations inform us that the community in general accepts that some development should occur around the village.

What You Told Us

More mid range houses are needed in Keyworth.

We must seek to ensure that low cost, quality housing is planned that will meet local needs, whilst protecting the Green Belt which must be strictly maintained and

enforced.

Self build properties should be encouraged.

Keyworth is already over developed and does not have growth potential beyond meeting local needs.

The only land available for development within Keyworth is playing fields and allotments, therefore Green Belt land would have to be lost which could drastically impact on the settlement’s character.

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Limited Green Belt expansion around Keyworth is possible as there is a significant distance between Keyworth and neighbouring villages which would

prevent coalescence.

There is some opposition to new houses with four or more bedrooms being built. There is also opposition

shown to flats or rented accommodation.

Development in Keyworth should retain the ‘village’ atmosphere and provide residents with a sustainable

means of getting to one of the two centres.

You could move South Wolds School from its current position to the site adjacent to Platt Lane playing

fields and then redevelop the School site.

Summary of main issues A relatively small number of new houses have been built in Keyworth over recent years. This lack of new development coupled with a contraction in the existing housing stock due to the implications of people living longer and in smaller households, has led to housing supply issues in the locality. This in turn can trigger problems of affordability as the few houses that are available will be priced at a higher rate. Affordability is already an issue within the parish with average house prices in the Keyworth North ward

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amongst the highest in the borough. A lack of variety and choice in the housing market locally may deter people from staying in the village. An ageing and declining population can have serious effects on the local economy and the services and facilities a settlement provides. For example, extra pressure will be placed on the services that elderly people especially rely on such as health and social care. The local economy could also suffer with the very elderly often having smaller amounts of disposable income available to spend. In Keyworth this issue could be compounded due to there being fewer younger people and people of working age living in the village who tend to have higher levels of disposable income available. Declining numbers of people under the age of 16 could also impact on local schools and their viability. Whilst currently the local situation in relation to school rolls is healthy, this could decline in the future if people continue to move away from the village.

Rushcliffe Borough Council Civic Centre Pavilion Road West Bridgford Nottingham NG2 5FE

T 0115 981 9911 F 0115 945 5882 E customerservices@rushcliffe.gov.uk W www.rushcliffe.gov.uk