Battle over plans to build housing development on 'irreplaceable' former sports ground near landmark pub

Developer Newett Homes appealed to overturn Rotherham Council’s decision to refuse plans for more than 100 homes on The Pitches at Stag in Broom.

Plans for 116 homes at the site were recommended for approval at Rotherham Council’s planning board meeting on March 18, but were refused by councillors.

However, the decision could be overturned by the government’s Planning Inspectorate.

The 3.8 hectare site was used for bowls, football, tennis cricket, and hockey, but planning documents state it has not been used for this purpose in the last seven years, and that some amenities “have not been used for over 25 years”.

The application was refused on the grounds of loss of green space and the lack of a playing pitch strategy.

Council bosses said that the site is an “an irreplaceable amenity”, and that “its loss cannot be compensated for.”

Newett Homes argues that the site has “no meaningful public recreational or other amenity value,” and that the development would create ” improvedsports and recreation facilities in the area.”

Richard Sagar from Walker Morris, on behalf of Newett Homes told the inquiry that the site is “in a poor condition, having had no maintenance for a number of years”, adding that “Its previous sport uses are long since vacant.

“There is some disagreement between the parties as to the last date when the site was used for football.

“However, even on the council’s case, use for football ended over five years ago.

“The other use ceased a considerable period before that some 30 years ago, with there being no apparent dispute of the last use for cricket was 2002, Bowling 1991 and tennis 1986.”

Mr Sagar added that the site is “unlikely” to be used in the future for sports, and that the mitigation package would be “adequate.”

Barrister Freddie Humphreys, on behalf of council, said that the development is “not needed” to meet the council’s housing needs, adding that the land would be “lost forever”.

Mr Humphreys added that the reasons that an application to build houses on the land in 1997 were refused had “parallels” with the refusal of the current application.

“The site is an area of undeveloped land that provides an open area within a fairly densely developed part of Rotherham, which is highly deprived.”

“The benefit it provides in this location cannot be….compensated for, it is irreplaceable.”

Dr Tom Humphries, who is now a doctor in Melbourne, Australia, grew up in Wickersley, and appealed for the panel to reject the plans.

“I have been fortunate enough to have spent my childhood and adolescence living on Wickersley Road, backing directly on to the pitches fields,” Dr Humphries said.

“I, along with my contemporaries, spent the majority of our formative years on the field.

“The pitches afforded the safe, encloseed space which we could transform into our Tickenham, our Wembly or even our Lord’s for a particularly chilly ashes test in the snow.

“I believe it would be a travesty for the pitches fields to be lost as a recreational and sporting facility.”

Alexander Stafford MP also objected.

In a letter from Mr Stafford, read out to the inquiry, he stated that the “development is not needed for housing nor is it an adopted brownfield site.”

“There are at least two football clubs who wants to use the playing fields, but have been denied access,” added Mr stafford’s statement.

“I urge the planning Inspectorate to reject the application.”

Councillor Wendy Cooksey also objected to the development, citing pollution and traffic concerns.

“In Rotherham it is estimated that poor air quality directly contributes to over 100 deaths per year,” said Coun Cooksey.

“There are legitimate concerns about pollution. Rotherham was listed in a report by the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, as one of 29 authorities where emissions of nitrogen oxide limits have been breached.

“The Pitches is a green area which helps to absorb pollutants from the surrounding busy roads.

“The proposed planning for 295 vehicles will have a significant impact on the surrounding roads, which already have queueing traffic at peak times.”

James Pink, chair of Whiston Wildcats told the inquiry that between 2010 and 2013, more than 500 children played a game on The Pitches, and that in the last eight years the teams had reduced from 188 children to just 113.

“This is completely contrary to any development plan in terms of increase in the level of activity by participation of children in football,” said Mr Pink.

The inquiry continues.