New figures show that the population of Ruddington grew by a dramatic 12% in the first decade of the new millennium alone. A more detailed breakdown of the 2011 Census results has become available from the Office for National Statistics. It reveals that new housing developments in and around our village increased the number of residents from 6441 in 2001 to 7216 in 2011 – with that number set to go up even further in the very near future. In context, this existing rise alone is more than DOUBLE Ruddington’s entire population of just 320 people recorded in 1603! So is our village growing too quickly? Ruddington residents were quick to give their verdicts via Twitter @Ruddington_info:
Nicholas Broadberry commented “This village cannot sustain this amount of people so quickly.” Vasily Chuikov agreed, saying “Enough growth now I think. Any larger and we will be a small town and/or part of a conurbation.” Craig is waiting to hear the latest on the Pasture Lane proposal: “101 homes, many 3/4 beds will add about 300 to that figure” he estimates “and the planning application called for a new roundabout Clifton/Wilford Road due to the increase in traffic volume” – which prompted this response from Mark Swift: “Great … even more traffic clogging up the village (town)!” The existing levels of congestion are already a concern for Justin Whittaker who says we “need to also stop selfish drivers ignoring the rush hour no parking signs outside Sainsbury’s. Hope they all get tickets!” But Nigel King reckons the population increase is NOT that dramatic. “It works out at about an extra 80 people a year over 10 years,” he says. “Is it not good news for local business?” Future planning and building plans for Ruddington can be found online via www.rushcliffe.gov.uk.
(Graham Wright)