Inquiry opens to decide whether Sheffield housing estate can be built on green fields

Councillors overwhelmingly rejected plans for the housing estate on Hollin Busk fields at the junction with Carr Road and Hollin Busk Lane, Deepcar, last July.

They voted 12 to one to refuse the development, saying it did not meet with council policy of brownfield regeneration first.

But developers Hallam Land Management appealed and an eight-day inquiry opened today (Tuesday).

More than 520 residents opposed the plans, including Stocksbridge Labour councillors, Conservative MP Miriam Cates, Friends of Hollin Busk, Stocksbridge Town Council, Bolsterstone Community Group and the Campaign for the Protection of Rural England.

There were also 220 objections ahead of the inquiry and campaigners say the tremendous level of response reflects the high level of feeling from people in Stocksbridge, Deepcar and Bolsterstone.

Mayor of Stocksbridge Richard Crowther said: “We aren’t opposed to all development – we understand that there is a need for new homes across the UK, including in Stocksbridge, and in recent years permission has been granted for hundreds of new homes being built on brownfield sites in our area.

“Local people are however rightly concerned about this attempt to build on a treasured protected open space that is so prominent in the local landscape.”

It is the third planning inquiry concerning Sheffield in recent months. The inspector ruled in favour of developers Avant Homes at Owlthorpe Fields while campaigners in Loxley are still waiting to hear the decision regarding the Hepworth’s site.