Former Green Belt homes approved by planners despite widespread objections

Plans for a new 94 home estate on former green belt land in Rotherham has been unanimously approved by councillors, despite generating 200 objections from the public.
Heritage: This mining memorial at Treeton will have to be moved to make way for a housing developmentHeritage: This mining memorial at Treeton will have to be moved to make way for a housing development
Heritage: This mining memorial at Treeton will have to be moved to make way for a housing development

The site, previously agricultural land, at South Wood Lane, Treeton, was given over for housing development in Rotherham’s Local Plan, a blueprint which guides where new homes will be built in the borough during the years ahead.

They were told council highways officials had no objections to details of the development, which will include the construction of a children’s play area and contributions totalling around £250,000, to help improve the local primary school as well as contributing to sustainable transport and providing cash for Treeton Parish Council.

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There will also be affordable housing constructed as part of the development.

But the meeting heard from Treeton Parish Councillor Richard Baker, who said he was speaking on behalf of 100 people from the area and was “gravely concerned” about the development.

“The road from Treeton to Aughton is unsafe. People go too fast, cars routinely end up in the woods.

“This development will put immense pressure on people living in the village, it is ill-conceived. The village isn’t able to cope with the amount of people who will be living there,” he said.

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Jones Homes, which is behind the development, have told councillors they will be able to start work immediately, when planning consent and other legal agreements have been formalised.

The meeting was told there is only one bus an hour from that area, with a contribution of £500 per house towards providing sustainable transport in future.

But decisions on how that money is spent will only be made after residents have begun to move in, so they can be consulted on what forms of transport would work best for them.

A council official conceded there was “poor public transport connectivity” in the area at present.

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The development will mean a mining wheel memorial being moved and the meeting heard that human remains have been buried at the foot of the structure.

A Jones Homes spokesman confirmed the relocation would be undertaken with sensitivity.