Plans for dozens of new homes will create a school-run traffic 'nightmare' in north Derbyshire town

Redmile Homes has submitted a proposal to build the properties on grassland close to a disused stretch of the Chesterfield Canal, off Primrose Lane, Killamarsh.

Developers say they want to construct a number of two, three, four and five-bedroom bungalows and houses on the 2.28ha site.

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Access to the development will be via Primrose Lane, and this has sparked a number of letters of complaint since the application was submitted to North East Derbyshire District Council last week.

Rebecca Clark said: “The traffic will be an absolute nightmare around school drop off/pick up times.

"I would suggest you survey the area again at one of these times during the school term, so you can see how bad it is.”

A group of other residents have detailed a number of concerns about the access to the development, both during the building of the homes and once people have moved in.

"We know that nationally there is a need for new houses to be built, but the proposed access route to this proposed development should not be from Primrose Lane,” the letter of objection says.

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"The developers should be forced to develop a separate access from Rotherham Road, near the industrial estate allowing for an easier and safer access onto the development as this road could cope with the increased volume of traffic, as well as make improvements to the local schools to increase capacity.”

The site has an expired consent for the construction of 30 dwellings, granted in January 2017.

Although North East Derbyshire’s Local Plan says the site has capacity for 30 homes, Redmile Homes claims the new application for a further 20 makes ‘more efficient use of the land available’.

The developers say: "It has been demonstrated that the proposals broadly comply with national and local policy as well as the direction of travel indicated by the emerging North East Derbyshire Local Plan.”

"The proposals will make a valuable contribution of 50 residential units, in an accessible location on the edge of the Killamarsh,” the application adds.

In these confusing and worrying times, local journalism is more vital than ever. Thanks to everyone who helps us ask the questions that matter by taking out a subscription or buying a paper. We stand together. Nancy Fielder, editor.