Costs on Top Wighay housing development jump by £1 million after mains water issue

Costs on a major Nottinghamshire housing development have gone up by nearly £1 million after an issue with the mains water supply. Around 800 homes are set to be built on the former Top Wighay farm site near Hucknall, also set to be home to Nottinghamshire County Council's new headquarters after the authority leaves County Hall.

The council, which is developing the residential element of the site in partnership with the Vistry Group, has now had to approve an extra £997,754 for this part of the Top Wighay project. The authority says the mains cold water supply now needs to come from around 1.5km away, something that was "not originally anticipated."

Talking about the land agreement it has in place with Vistry, the county council says in a new report: "It imposes a legal obligation on the council to provide the mains cold water supply. The other non-housing development sites will also require a mains cold water supply.

"One mains cold water supply to serve all of the needs of the current development will be required and needs to be provided by the council. Failure to deliver this obligation... would seriously jeopardise the land sale to Vistry."

Despite the extra cost, the county council says the "high profile project" is expected to deliver returns in the region of £46 million, once the sale of residential land to Vistry and estimated returns for the other parts of the site are considered. The former farmland, off the A611 near Linby and Hucknall, will also eventually house a primary school and skills centre.

Nottinghamshire County Council is set to move into its new Top Wighay headquarters, known as Oak House, next March. The authority adds: "The wider development site is a major ongoing high-profile project... which will deliver housing and economic growth. It will also deliver a significant capital receipt to the council."