The Pitches inquiry: “Community should be at the heart of the appeal”

Closing statements were made at the end of a public inquiry which will make the final call on whether a rejected 116-home development should be built in Rotherham.
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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, but the decision could be overturned by the government’s Planning Inspectorate.

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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.”

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Newett has agreed to a number of S106 contributions, including £236,604 for education, £851,000 towards football facilities, £40,000 for bowls provision, 29 affordable homes, and £58,000 towards sustainable transport.

Barrister Freddie Humphreys, on behalf of council said: “It is clear that those who spoke to the inquiry on behalf of the local community, consider the site to be irreplaceable.

He added that the S106 funding offered at the appeal was “approximately 50 per cent more” than what was offered to the council when they refused the application.

“The Council were right to refuse planning permission, as it is the appellant’s case that something which they consider to be necessary to make the development acceptable has only been proposed for the first time during this appeal process.

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“If the appeal is allowed, 3.8 hectares of land that serve an immunity function and could be available for sport and recreation use will be lost forever.

“Mitigation for the loss of the land is proposed as far away as over 11 kilometres, which is claimed to be a suitable location to compensate for a loss of green space.

Community should be at the heart of this appeal.”

However, Richard Sagar from Walker Morris, on behalf of Newett Homes, told the inquiry that there has been “no evidence from any party there is a viable means” of reinstating The Pitches.

“Whilst the [Whiston] Wildcats have indicated they would like to use it again, they make no suggest that as to how they would acquire it,” he told the inquiry.

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“There’s no more than a vague hope that some unspecified party would acquire it, meet the massive upfront capital costs, and fund a year on year loss.

Mr Sagar added that households have “no right to a view,” and that the level of visual amenity offered by the site is “remarkably low“.

He argued that contrubutions to sporting facilities from the developer “has the potential to increase activity by 2000 extra participants”.

Mr Sagar also stated that Rotherham Council has a “delivery problem” when it comes to housing, and has “had to produce an action plan three years in a row”.

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“There are clear stresses in the delivery of housing that the appeal site will help alleviate,” added Mr Sagar.

“Thas been a negative provision of affordable housing since 2013 When right to buy is taken into account,”

“The future supply has no prospect of addressing this. The waiting list is massive, and there’s a homelessness issue.

“There is a high need, with massive overbidding for available properties. The council’s stance on this topic is troubling.”

The inquiry is now closed, and a decision is expected before the end of the year.