Sheffield green belt: Duke of Norfolk criticised for promoting Grenoside fields for development

Over 80 people turned out to object to plans to develop much-loved fields to the south of Grenoside.

It comes after ‘Save Our Greenbelt’ posters appeared on road signs in the area and residents said they had handed out 600 flyers.

Sheffield City Council is proposing to build 3,529 homes on 14 green belt sites across the city to meet government housing targets.

Some 188 homes are earmarked for a 16-acre plot between Holme Lane Farm and land to the west of Fox Hill Road.

Locals say it would join up Grenoside with Parson Cross and destroy a vital green artery.

And some are angry at the Duke of Norfolk, who owns some of the plot, for ‘promoting’ his land for development.

Love Sheffield? You’ll love our daily newsletter… Packed with the latest news, sport, lifestyle, what’s on, and so much more.

The council says landowners put forward 102 separate parcels of green belt land following a ‘call for sites’ in 2019 and on two further occasions.

One resident said: “Grenoside will never be the same without that land. The Duke is worth £100m why does he need any more money? I think it’s disgusting.

“Just leave the land alone and let us have some peace.”

Jeremy Robinson, of surveyors Fowler Sandford and agent to The Norfolk Estate, confirmed the estate owned part of the Grenoside site. And the views of locals would be considered before it was disposed of.

He said: “The Estate will only contemplate promoting their land for development in conjunction with and in response to the Local Plan, led by Sheffield City Council.

“We will be monitoring the progress of the Local Plan over coming months. The local community would naturally have the opportunity to engage and express their views, all of which will be carefully considered by the Estate, if the site eventually comes forward for development.”

A Sheffield City Council report states planning applications to build in green belt must include a ‘comprehensive assessment’ of impacts on the environment and off-set them through ‘improvements to the environmental quality and accessibility of remaining areas of green belt’.

It should also take into account flood risk and, on the Fox Hill Road site, leave a ‘buffer’ adjacent to a Local Wildlife Site which comprises ancient woodland. And hedgerows must be retained as wildlife corridors.

An extraordinary meeting of the full council will debate the proposals at Sheffield Town Hall today - Wednesday, May 14.