FOI release

Freedom of Information Request

Case reference FOI2025/00934

Received 30 October 2025

Published 24 November 2025

Request

Subject: Freedom of Information Request – Proposed Development Plans for ‘Land South of Mickleover’

I am submitting this request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

I am writing to request information relating to South Derbyshire District Council’s decision to accommodate Derby City’s unmet housing need, specifically through the potential development of a large housing estate and associated infrastructure on ‘land south of Mickleover’, rather than in or around other areas of Derby. Specifically, please provide:

1. Any reports, studies, assessments, and evaluations which were conducted or relied upon to inform the decision to direct new development to South Derbyshire. Please include any environmental, economic, housing need, and transport assessments.

2. Communications such as emails, meeting minutes, or correspondence between council officers, councillors, and external parties discussing the reasons for selecting South Derbyshire as the preferred development area.

* Evidence that was provided to South Derbyshire Council that Derby City conducted a SHELAA call for sites, including:

* Information on the sites put forward within the City

* The reasons these sites were rejected

* Details of any brownfield sites submitted within the City

* Why greenfield sites, such as ‘Land South of Mickleover’, were prioritised over any brownfield sites in the City

Please confirm receipt of this request. If any part of this request is refused, please:

* Specify the exemption relied upon, and

* Explain why the public interest in withholding the information outweighs the public interest in disclosure.

Thank you for your assistance. As required under the FOIA, we look forward to a response within 20 working days. Please advise if any fees are applicable or if further clarification is needed to process this request.

Response

Your request for details under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 has been considered.  Please see information below:

 

  1. Any reports, studies, assessments, and evaluations which were conducted or relied upon to inform the decision to direct new development to South Derbyshire. Please include any environmental, economic, housing need, and transport assessments.

All reports are available on the Councils website: Planning policy and the Local Plan | South Derbyshire District Council. The Sequential Test (attached) will be uploaded to the Councils website imminently.

  1. Communications such as emails, meeting minutes, or correspondence between council officers, councillors, and external parties discussing the reasons for selecting South Derbyshire as the preferred development area.

Information not held. South Derbyshire has not been selected as the preferred development area. All relevant evidence relating to Local Plan preparation will be subject to an independent Examination in Public to which Burnaston and all other interested parties will be able to fully participate, which will include the distribution approach over the Housing market Area as a whole. Please see the published Statement of Common Ground (below) which gives the latest position in this regard.

  1. Evidence that was provided to South Derbyshire Council that Derby City conducted a SHELAA call for sites, including:

    • Information on the sites put forward within the City

    • The reasons these sites were rejected

    • Details of any brownfield sites submitted within the City

    • Why greenfield sites, such as 'Land South of Mickleover', were prioritised over any brownfield sites in the City

We don't hold the information requested because the process set out in your email wasn't conducted in the way described. The following documents are relevant to how the process was conducted and may help with your query:

Further information on Derby City's Local Plan strategy is being progressed through the local plan for Derby, the draft document and recommendation for consultation is to be considered by Cabinet on the 12th of November 2025. Details of this meeting can be found here: Cabinet 12th of November

Documents

There are no documents for this release.

This is South Derbyshire District Council's response to a freedom of information (FOI) or environmental information regulations (EIR) request.

You can browse our other responses or make a new FOI request.