Protestor highlights sewage and flooding risks at proposed Chesterfield housing development

Chesterfield Borough Council’s planning committee is due to meet today (Monday, August 21,) to consider a planning application for 275 homes at Duckmanton, along with a commercial zone and an area to be designated for community use.

Concerned residents have submitted 152 comments to the council with concerns including; over-development; the loss of greenfield land; potential harm to wildlife; flooding on Tom Lane and Rectory Road; traffic safety and congestion on Tom Lane; and that the development will pose an added strain on schools, services, GP and dental practices.

Protestor James Tomlinson, of Duckmanton, stated: “I would also like to make the committee aware that there is insufficient capacity in the sewage system and at present due to over capacity the sewer does discharge raw sewage into the environment.

“This is out there in the public domain and Yorkshire Water has recommended conditions for the application if it is approved.”

Mr Tomlinson has questioned whether sewage concerns will be properly considered by the applicant and whether the planning committee is aware that additional housing will increase the volume of discharged waste and that it could be illegal to discharge raw sewage into the environment.

He argued that no approval should be given until the impact on the sewage system has been fully considered because he stressed the council has a duty to protect the environment.

The proposed 16.6 hectare site is on agricultural fields located between Duckmanton and Long Duckmanton and slopes from Rectory Road with access points from Tom Lane and includes a proposed, separate access to a planned commercial zone along with plans for a community area.

Yorkshire Water has highlighted the public sewer network does not currently have capacity to accommodate the anticipated discharge from the proposed development and that a feasibility study will be required to determine suitable foul connection points, the available capacity in the sewer network, and costs and timescales for potential upgrading.

The council has stipulated the development will require any flood risk to be managed so that it will be safe after the Environment Agency identified part of the site may be at risk of surface water flooding.

Derbyshire County Council records include 51 incidents of flooding on Tom Lane including road closure due to flooding, according to the borough council which has recognised the proposed development should take into account this information to ensure any proposals do not cause further flood risks.

The borough council has also acknowledged there are no public foul sewers in direct proximity of the site and because the site is on a slope it is likely that pumping may be required and Yorkshire Water should be consulted.

However, it has stated the development is deemed acceptable in terms of potential drainage impacts subject to these precautionary conditions which would need to be followed by any developers.

In addition, Derbyshire County Council’s Highways Authority stated the development will not generate a severe traffic impact to prevent it from going ahead, and the Coal Authority stated solutions and mitigating measures could be achieved despite former mining activities at the site.

Sutton-cum-Duckmanton Parish Council has also raised concerns including flooding, traffic safety, congestion, and the loss of greenfield land for the borough council planning committee to consider.

The proposed development has been recommended for approval by council planning officers subject to conditions but the planning committee will make a final decision at its meeting on Monday, August 21.

If the planning application is approved, the applicants Mr and Mrs Elliot aim to sell the land to a developer on the basis of the proposed residential development.