A developer’s announcement that work will begin this month on the construction of 147 new homes in north Derbyshire has sparked concern over the disappearance of greenfield sites and the additional strain on health services.

Harron Homes will start building their Low Ridding development on Bolsover Road, Mastin Moor after the purchase of 15 acres of land from the Devonshire Group.

Commenting on Derbyshire Times Facebook page Jill Hancock wrote: “Yet more cars on the main road through Staveley and more people needing healthcare that is already overwhelmed.” Christine Baggaley commented: “What about a doctor, school and dentist facilities? The ones already there can’t cope.”

And Janet Holmes wrote: “There will be no greenery left soon and a lot of children will miss out on seeing wildlife and green fields.”

The site at Tom Lane, Duckmanton where 275 new houses will be built.

placeholder image — The site at Tom Lane, Duckmanton where 275 new houses will be built.

Hotspots for housing developments include Holmewood where planning consent has been granted for 247 new homes off Tibshelf Road and a further 41 houses at the rear of an existing development off Chesterfield Road near the Five Pits Trail.

Plans for 275 new houses near Tom Lane at Duckmanton have been approved.

An application for planning consent to build 135 new houses between Burns Drive and Southfield Drive in Dronfield has been submitted.

Calow is set for 75 new homes at Top Road after 45 new properties at Churchfields were released to the market and an appeal inspector ruled against North East Derbyshire District Council’s refusal to grant outline planning application for 36 houses on land at Dark Lane.

Cattle grazing on land at Calow that has been earmarked as a site for housing development (photo: Jo Howell).

Jo Howell said: “There's a sea of new housing estates on green fields in almost every village around us, Calow, Staveley, Poolsbrook to name but a few. You can't get a doctors appointment in Calow now and it took five attempts for someone to answer the phone but, hey, let’s build 72 more houses.

“Even if the council do refuse planning on rural land (twice), the government’s planning inspector comes along and disregards the decision of 12 members of the elected planning committee on appeal and approves it, costing the council a lot of money in the process.

“This appeal system is loaded in favour of the landowner and developer and needs addressing. Why have a planning committee at all if their decision is disregarded and overidden by the government inspectorate?”

Jess Tamberlin posted: “I moved to Chesterfield 17 years ago, lovely town centre, friendly villages, easy access to M1, minutes from either city life or country life, but most of all I fell in love with the amazing views and surroundings…..sadly they all disappearing by new builds that all look the same, not an ounce of character to any of the properties. Yet there are so many empty, rundown properties that have the potential to be a home again. It’s about time the council stopped approving all these new build estates until the empty properties are sorted and think about the floods we have seen over the years and question all these new estates and the drainage issues they’re potentially causing.”