Homes plan for former college site rejected

The county council said the scheme would provide much-needed homes

Plans to build homes on a former college campus in Glossop have been rejected in an attempt to preserve playing fields.

Derbyshire County Council had applied for permission to construct up to 110 properties on 11.7 acres (4.75 hectares) of vacant land at Glossopdale Community College's Lower Site on Talbot Road.

It said the scheme would include 30% affordable housing and still leave 6.42 acres (2.6 hectares) of playing field land.

However, High Peak Borough Council's development control committee refused the application after concluding the importance of keeping the site as recreational fields outweighed the need for the development.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service said neighbours raised objections to the scheme including a feared increase in traffic and congestion, added pressure on services, and loss of privacy for existing residents.

Sport England also objected to the proposed scheme on the grounds that if this residential development was approved it would result in the loss of the whole of the playing field land.

Rachel Simpkin, the borough council's senior planning officer, told a committee meeting on Monday that there was no proposal for the playing fields to be replaced at this stage or evidence they were surplus to requirements.

"There is a clear difference of opinion," she said.

"They [the county council] consider the land is brownfield and we consider it is greenfield and protected."

Housing shortfall

David Quinn, of Glossopdale Site Residents Group, said the need for homes was recognised but raised concerns about feared drainage issues if the scheme got the go-ahead, increased traffic concerns, congestion, pollution and whether the proposed scheme would fit with the character of the surrounding properties.

Derbyshire County Council's highways authority had concluded the scheme would not create an unacceptable impact on highway safety or a severe impact on congestion, and it raised no objections.

The county council's flood authority also raised no objections, subject to conditions including that no development should take place until a design, management and maintenance plan of the surface water drainage for the site is established.

The applicant's agent, Sarah Cox, also argued that the scheme involved a sustainable brownfield site and that it would support much-needed housing supply as well as High Peak Borough Council's own housing shortfall while providing a benefit for the community.