Chesterfield councillor warns ‘When it’s gone, it’s gone’ as planners sacrifice greenfield land for housing

The Devonshire Group’s Chatsworth Settlement Trustees successfully submitted two planning applications for six new homes on 0.19 hectares off Troughbrook Road, at Hollingwood, and for 17 nearby new homes, on 1.06 hectares to the south at Pondhouse Farm, off the same road with a retained farmhouse and a barn conversion.

Chesterfield Borough Council’s planning committee voted by a majority to approve outline planning permission for both developments at a meeting on Monday, January 8, after considering greenfield, traffic, parking and flooding fears relating to the sites near Staveley.

Cllr Mick Brady, who objected to both developments, said: “Effectively, we are going to have more cars on a road that has already got problems. It is a shame that people sometimes seem only too prepared to get rid of greenfield land because when it’s gone it’s gone and we cannot get it back.

“And it’s a shame that is the attitude of some people whether it’s six houses or 60 houses. When it’s gone, it’s gone and we cannot get it back.”

Cllr Brady raised concerns during the consideration of the six-home site which had already been highlighted by concerned residents including the loss of greenfield land, as well as an increase in traffic and parking difficulties on an already busy road.

Some residents and former Chesterfield Borough Cllr Mick Bagshaw stated that they were concerned about the loss of greenfield land on previously protected Green Belt land, flooding, and an increase in traffic and parking problems.

But director, David Peck, of planning company P&DG, representing the Devonshire Group, said the plans for the six homes accord with the council’s Local Plan, that Derbyshire County Council has deemed any traffic increases to be acceptable, that there would be a new path installed in front of the properties, and any flooding concerns would be addressed with a hydrobrake and correct drainage.

Council planning officer Helen Frith also explained that even though the application for these six homes had previously been refused because it was on greenfield land the site has since been allocated in the council’s Local Plan and a share of greenfield land is now expected to be included with housing developments.

However, Cllr Brady questioned why the council was willing to allow planning permission for these developments when it is likely to have to consider a much larger residential development with potentially hundreds of homes at the old, nearby, brownfield Staveley Works site in the future.

But planning officer Paul Staniforth explained the potential Staveley Works housing development will be dependent upon the progress and helpful access from the proposed Chesterfield-Staveley Regeneration Route bypass which is far from being finalised.

He added that the additional issue of greenfield is not an issue for the council because the site, which had once been preserved Green Belt land, has been allocated for use in the Local Plan.

The committee meeting also heard how developments on greenfield sites tend to be less costly and more quickly developed as opposed to more complex and costly brownfield sites.

A council spokesperson stated: “The application site is allocated in the adopted Local Plan for the development of a minimum of six dwellings. This proposal aligns with that allocation and is therefore acceptable in principle.

“Having considered all material considerations relating to the case the proposal is considered to be acceptable subject to conditions.”

Mr Peck also explained that the overall planning issues and permission for the second 17-home application were ‘identical’ and both sites combined would involve new planting and a bio-diversity gain for the area and would support the need for affordable housing.

A council spokesperson added: “The application site is allocated in the adopted Local Plan for the development of 23 dwellings in association with the adjacent site.”

The meeting also heard that the Devonshire Group’s overall plans involved retaining the farmhouse and converting the barn at Pondhouse Farm into – potentially – two new homes which would mean the scheme could provide 26 homes.

Despite some councillors’ and residents’ concerns about flooding from a nearby brook, the council has stated that both sites were at a low probability of flooding.

The council planning committee approved outline planning permission for both applications and Property Development Director Andrew Byrne, of the Devonshire Group, said work could be expected to start at the sites in between 18 to 24 months.