Anger and concern as councillors approve plans for almost 200 new homes near Chesterfield

Residents and campaigners have spoken out after councillors approved controversial plans for almost 200 new homes in Tupton.
Councillors David Hancock, Pam Windley and Ross Shipman - who are opposed to the plans - at the Ankerbold Road site.Councillors David Hancock, Pam Windley and Ross Shipman - who are opposed to the plans - at the Ankerbold Road site.
Councillors David Hancock, Pam Windley and Ross Shipman - who are opposed to the plans - at the Ankerbold Road site.

Before Christmas, North East Derbyshire District Council gave the Northwood Group planning permission to build 193 properties on land off Ankerbold Road.

Resident Peter Bunting, of nearby Pond Lane, said people had a number of concerns about the ‘massive’ development – including privacy issues for current homeowners, a rise in congestion and loss of wildlife.

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He added: “We feel the council hasn’t listened to our concerns.”

According to the Liberal Democrats, the Labour-led council agreed to take out £8.6million in borrowing to facilitate the development by the Northwood Group.

The party says the company is controlled by the council in conjunction with private developers.

Liberal Democrats’ Councillor David Hancock, who represents the Tupton ward on the council, said: “North East Derbyshire Labour have forced through this vanity project because of the money it will generate and ignored the hundreds of objections from local residents.

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“In our objections, the Liberal Democrats highlighted a number of infrastructure concerns including Tupton Primary School unable to physically expand any further and severe congestion that already exists because of traffic coming into the village for the school.

“It is even more concerning that the planning officers had no answer for why they were going against their own policy of every new build must be within a 30 minute public travel time of an hospital by public transport.

“The council is selling future generations down the river.”

Ross Shipman, a spokesperson for North Derbyshire Liberal Democrats, added: “What we oversaw from that planning committee was a stitch-up of Tupton residents.

“Not once were the 200 objections from local residents referred to and any point made was either dismissed or ignored. This is totally unacceptable.

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“It saddens us that council land has been lost to build three, four and five bedroom homes – instead of the authority increasing its social housing stock and providing affordable houses for our children to get on the housing ladder.”

The council declined to comment.