Controversial plans for new Sheffield township set to be refused amid 900 objections

Planning officers are advising councillors to reject up to 300 new houses on the Hepworth's factory site along the River Loxley, less than half a mile from Sheffield’s border with the Peak District National Park.

Developers Patrick Properties say it’s the only way of funding a clean-up of derelict refractory works that were abandoned by Hepworths in the early 1990s.

They envisaged homes, a community homeworking hub, cafe/restaurant, GP surgery, workshops, parking for around 552 cars, 97 visitor spaces and commercial parking, a village green and public squares.

But there's been a lengthy campaign against the development and objectors include Gill Furniss MP, Olivia Blake MP, local councillors, Sheffield Green Party, Friends of Loxley Valley, the Campaign to Protect Rural England, Loxley Valley Design Group, Hallamshire Historic Buildings Society, Grenoside Conservation Society, Sheffield Climate Alliance, Peak District National Park and Rivelin Valley Conservation Group.

There were 200 letters in support of the development, backed by Bradfield Village Fellow Cricket Club and Funding for Sport, but planning officers are recommending it be refused.

In a report, they say: "Despite the significant weight the Government attaches to the re-use of a partly, previously developed site for housing, the proposal would have a harmful impact on the openness of the Green Belt.

"It would be unsustainable due to a lack of local facilities to serve the new community. The site in areas has blended into the landscape and as such a residential development of this nature, along with the associated infrastructure, would have a greater spatial impact."

Officers add that a landscape and visual impact assessment is "lacking in detail" and "insufficient information has been supplied" to assess the environmental impact, affordable housing and energy efficient homes. Officers also say developers have failed to show new housing would outweigh the flood risk.

Councillors will make a decision on Tuesday, September 15. The report can be read here

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