Flooding fears as dozens object to 300-home north Derbyshire development

Plans for the new properties on Coupe Lane, between Old Tupton and Holmgate, have been resubmitted to North East Derbyshire District Council – after fierce opposition when they were first pitched four years ago.

People in the quiet villages are concerned the development will alter their way of life, bringing an increased risk of flooding and a large volume of traffic to ‘unsuitable’ country roads.

Old Tupton resident Carole Johnson, 77, said earlier this year that you would ‘struggle to find anyone in favour of it’.

"Everyone is opposed, from political parties to residents, doctors and schools,” she added.

And since the resubmitted plans became available to view on the council website, objection letters have poured in.

Carol Marriott said the size of the development was ‘ridiculous’.

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"There are more than enough houses being built in our area already,” she said.

She claimed GP surgeries in the area ‘struggle to cope as it is’ and did not want to see more green fields lost to development.

Judith Nicholls said the land proposed for the new homes ‘has historically been prone to flooding’ and 300 properties could only add to the issue.

She said: “The road infrastructure is not able to cope with an extra potential 600 vehicles, given that most homes have at least two cars.

“Coupe Lane is already extremely congested with parked cars, causing many parts of it to be a single track road and difficult to navigate.

“Many surrounding roads, Ashover Road, Holmgate Road, Mill Lane, Press Lane, are narrow and winding, and in some cases, single track country roads.

"These roads are already being used as ‘high speed rat runs’ towards Matlock and Bakewell at various times of the day and night, plus many more additional motorcyclists at the weekend.”

NHS Derby and Derbyshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) said it ‘would like to discuss the potential’ for cash from the developers to be used to ‘provide additional capacity (for patients) within the vicinity of the development’.

Developers the Pegasus Group have promised ‘a high quality development that is sensitive to the local context’.

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