Video: Actor Sean Bean backs campaign to save Handsworth Greenbelt, Sheffield saying ‘We will fight this’

The Handsworth-born actor praised local residents’ efforts as “incredible” and warned Sheffield City Council that “we are not pushovers.”

The controversial scheme has already come under criticism as the area would lose 90 per cent of its green space while more affluent parts of the city - with access to the Peak District - remain unscathed.

Bean, who grew up in the area, described the green spaces as the centre of the community, essential for the mental and physical well-being of residents.

He said: “The greenbelt means a lot to me as I grew up in the area - it was the hub and the centre of the area where we explored the countryside and had a laugh and played games.

“It is also the only bit of greenery around that area so it was a magnet for kids growing up and seeing wildlife - it has for many years served the community of Handsworth and surrounding areas. It would be devastating if we lost it.

He compared the S13 greenbelt to iconic urban green spaces like New York’s Central Park and London’s Wimbledon Common, highlighting the importance of accessible greenery for working-class communities.

“You have to have greenery, it's a calming influence - it is damaging not to have that around you because you become insular and blinkered and very claustrophobic.”

Bean also argued that the sale would benefit Sheffield City Council, but not residents: “The council owns [the land] but what are they going to do - just flog it and keep the money? It will then be gone - they will have a bit of the money in the pockets and we have nothing.”

The actor met campaigners this week and appeared on the group’s new poster calling for action.

He praised their organisation and determination: “Within four months, they have secured barristers, planning consultants, hundreds of objections, and 4,000 petition signatures - with no help from the council except MP Clive Betts.”

The campaign group, Save S13 Greenbelt - The Sapphire McCarthy Campaign, was formed in April after Sheffield City Council proposed building 1,738 homes across two greenbelt sites in Handsworth: 868 homes off Bramley Lane and 870 off Finchwell Lane.

Campaigners warn that additional housing would overwhelm already stretched local infrastructure- exacerbating traffic congestion, increasing pollution and placing further pressure on schools, doctors and dentists.

They say these issues are compounded by the nearby Waverley development in Rotherham.

Sheffield City Council approved these greenbelt schemes, along with 12 others, in May as part of its local plan, a blueprint for future housing development.

The proposals will now be examined by Government Planning Inspectors, who begin hearings in Sheffield next week.

Cheryl Hague, a campaigner who met with Bean, said: “We are delighted to have Sean’s support. We will carry on this fight at the planning inspector meetings and hope they listen to our very real concerns- something Sheffield City Council has failed to do from the outset. Their refusal to listen to residents has been shameful.”

The campaign has raised around £10,000 to fund legal action and continues to seek donations via its GoFundMe page.

Residents and supporters can stay updated through the group’s website, Save S13 Greenbelt.

Bean’s involvement adds star power to a campaign driven by community determination and a shared fight to protect Handsworth’s cherished green spaces.

The plans - the biggest green belt development proposal in years - were drawn up after the government asked Sheffield Council to identify land for 3,529 homes and 130 acres for business as part of the city’s Local Plan - a blueprint for development over the next 14 years.

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The authority says it had to choose green belt because brownfield sites have been ‘maximised’.

Government inspectors recognised the importance of the green belt but said meeting housing and employment needs was also an “important objective,” a Sheffield City Council spokesperson said previously.

They added: “Since then, the council has been looking into additional areas of the city that could be used to meet the increased need. The council has always explored site options with a ‘brownfield first’ policy; however, all of those options have been maximised already. As a result, sites within the green belt have been looked into.”