Council responds to claims of overdevelopment in community near Chesterfield

Council leaders have hit back at claims they have allowed a neighbourhood near Chesterfield to become overdeveloped.
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Rippon Homes was given outline planning permission to build 180 new homes to the north of Spindle Drive, Wingerworth, after an appeal – despite ‘major concerns’ about the density of the development.

Civic leaders say current and planned housing developments on the A61 corridor south of Chesterfield are ‘ruining’ the Wingerworth area.

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Phlip Riden, chairman of Chesterfield and District Civic Society, said: “It means that more of the limited remaining open space on that side of the parish will disappear.

Developers have permission to build another 180 new homes off Spindle Drive at Wingerworth.Developers have permission to build another 180 new homes off Spindle Drive at Wingerworth.
Developers have permission to build another 180 new homes off Spindle Drive at Wingerworth.

“The site is not far from Smithy Pond, one of the attractive surviving historic features of this part of Wingerworth.”

Mr Riden said that with the new development and the estate now approaching completion on Derby Road, south of Nottingham Drive, further building in this area ‘heightens the risk of the built-up area creeping towards Derby Road and New Tupton’.

“Sadly, it appears that the recent change in political control at North East Derbyshire has not led to a change in the policy traditionally followed by previous Labour administrations

since 1974,” Mr Riden said.

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He said the local environment had been ‘ruined’ by previous council administrations because of political considerations.

North East Derbyshire District Council’s cabinet member for the environment, Councillor Charlotte Cupit said: “The latest application was for the reserved/detailed matters stage, and, as such, is focused on the layout and plans of the development. The principle of development can no longer be disputed, as the 2017 appeal was lost.

“We have made huge improvements to planning since taking control of the authority in 2019. This includes increasing the capacity of our planning service and continuing to improve the planning committee itself. In addition, we’ve reviewed and are now progressing the draft Local Plan, which is at an advanced stage and has recently just gone through its final public consultation.

“Having an up to date Local Plan in place is hugely important and we are working extremely hard to stop the risk of speculative and accumulating developments, which are not appropriate for a predominantly rural district like ours.”

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