Councillors vote to protect ‘golden frame’ green belt in Sheffield

Sheffield Council’s planning and highways committee voted overwhelmingly to turn down an application to build 22 houses on the land adjacent 127 – 139 Long Line, in Dore.

The site comprises of an open field around 1.6 hectares in size containing no visible buildings and is within the city’s green belt.

Councillor Andrew Sangar, member of the committee, said: “This site is a prominent green belt site in an area of high landscape value, close to the boundary of the Peak District National Park.

“This is not a marginal decision, this is an overwhelming decision.

“This is the wrong sort of application, on the wrong site, damaging the wonderful golden frame that is the green belt of Sheffield.”

Coun Peter Price, also a member of the committee, added: “This planning board has spent the last few years breaking its neck trying to find brownfield, city centre and high rise sites to protect the green belt – that has been one of our main driving forces.

“The beloved green belt in Sheffield is one of the most popular things that politically we ever did, the green belt and national country parks. It was built for the people of Sheffield and Manchester, it’s the lungs of those cities really.

“The need is still there for the health of our nation and the ability to get out. This is the first attempt to encroach on that, there are going to be a lot more, I can see them coming now.

“The green belt is a principle this city has supported for 50 years and longer and will continue to do so.”

There were many representations made from various people on the plans ahead of the meeting including MP for Sheffield Hallam Olivia Blake, local councillors, the Campaign to Protect Rural England, the Peak District National Park, Sheffield Wildlife Trust, Dore Village Society, Long Line Residents’ Association, Dore Neighbourhood Forum and others. Some of whom gave their views at the meeting.

The vote supported council officers’ recommendation to refuse.

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