Sheffield green belt: MP Clive Betts condemns 'unfair' housing plans and names 10 sites in 'affluent' areas
A Sheffield MP has launched a scathing attack on the “utterly unfair” and “completely rushed” process to find housing sites on Sheffield’s green belt.
Clive Betts said Sheffield City Council had chosen 14 sites “in a panic and has been working backwards from their answer to justify them.”
The MP for Sheffield South East spoke out ahead of a hearing with government inspectors today who are considering proposals for 3,529 homes and employment land on green belt. They are part of the city council’s efforts to draw up a Local Plan to meet government targets.
Mr Betts told The Star he planned to put forward 10 sites that could fit 2,515 homes, mostly in the west of the city, that would provide a “far fairer spread of housing and employment.”
The current proposals would see 151 houses in the Dore and Totley ward compared to 1,996 in the Woodhouse ward and 1,150 in the Birley ward.
Mr Betts said: “This whole exercise of allocating green belt has been completely rushed by the council and fails the people of Sheffield, especially in my constituency where they are being burdened with huge amounts of green belt development.”
He added: “There are a variety of sites across the city that have not been properly considered that would provide a far fairer distribution of sites.”
Mr Betts previously called for a review of green belt housing after 24 plots in upmarket areas were not shortlisted including 12 in S17 - Dore, Totley and Bradway; seven in Ecclesall - S11; and five in Fulwood and Lodge Moor - S10.
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He said his list would spread the burden on services and green space and give more chances for people to live where they wanted.
Mr Betts’ 10 alternative housing sites and the number of homes they could accommodate, totalling 2,515.
- Land at Totley Hall Lane, Dore & Totley - 700
- Ryecroft Farm, Dore &Totley - 500
- Moor View Golf Centre, Dore & Totley - 160
- Land to the south of Hathersage Road, Dore & Totley - 400
- Dore Moor Garden Centre and Nursery, Dore & Totley - 75
- Boundary Club, Beauchief & Greenhill - 100
- Land to the south of Manchester Road, Crookes & Crosspool - 40
- Collegiate Campus, Broomhill & Sharrow Vale - 250
- Infield Allotments, Darnall - 190
- Norton Lane, Graves Park - 100
A spokesperson for the Save S13 Green Belt campaign said life expectancy in the area was already several years less than in the west of the city. Taking away green space while adding thousands of extra cars would only see it widen.
They added: “The council has failed to listen to our concerns from the start and still seems to be trying to justify their rash scheme.”
Sheffield City Council was approached for comment.