Dismay after plans for 500 homes are approved
A PROTEST group says it is "saddened and dismayed" after plans to build 500 homes on a greenfield site were given the green light.
Amber Valley Borough Council's planning board has given permission to Wheeldon Brothers to build homes, shops and access roads at the 43-acre site in Outseats Farm, Alfreton, which has been described as the "last green field site in the north of the town".
-
Derek Stafford says the site has more open space than required.
The firm said 25% of the site would be used for green, open space and public parks but residents raised concerns about the loss of greenfield land and whether the town's infrastructure could cope with the extra homes.
Members of Amber Valley SOS (Support Our Struggle) protest group also applied for village green status for the site to try to stop the development. A decision has not yet been made.
Business Cards From Only £10.95 Delivered www.myprint-247.co.uk
View detailsOur heavyweight cards have FREE UV silk coating, FREE next day delivery & VAT included. Choose from 1000's of pre-designed templates or upload your own artwork. Orders dispatched within 24hrs.
Terms: Visit our site for more products: Business Cards, Compliment Slips, Letterheads, Leaflets, Postcards, Posters & much more. All items are free next day delivery. www.myprint-247.co.uk
Contact: 01858 468192
Valid until: Friday, May 31 2013
John Rayson, of Alfreton SOS, said he felt the residents' concerns had been ignored during the planning meeting.
He said: "Well, we saw democracy in action at the council meeting. Residents completely ignored, traffic concerns ignored, in fact all objections ignored.
"The Labour group listened and supported us, the Tory group wouldn't listen and didn't want to know.
"The fight isn't over. We must rally and fight on."
The planning application was approved before Amber Valley Borough Council had finalised its plan for where housing should be built in the borough during the next five years.
But Derek Stafford, the council's assistant director of planning and regeneration, said the site had been previously identified as a good one to provide cheap housing.
He said: "Thirty per cent of the housing will be affordable and the area has been identified as suitable for housing growth.
"This application was submitted last January and we were duty-bound to consider it when we were ready to do so."
Mr Stafford said the amount of public parks and open spaces that would be created in the site was "over and above" the council's normal requirements.
He said: "The land has previously not had a right of access to the public."
2 Comments
by psrose
Sunday, March 03 2013, 10:14PM
“Appalling - It is about time we had a change - Labour began this process, the tories continue to favour Corporate builders - at the expense of the community and the public interest. This is the excuse we have for local democracy in Amber Valley and elsewhere today.
We have County elections in May - Time to start voting UKIP - put people first! Vote UKIP”
by pentrich1817
Saturday, March 02 2013, 9:04PM
“I am very tempted to believe that AVBC's inability to complete a new Core Strategy is deliberate because they know that even if these applications are refused by the Planning Board, then they will be granted by planning inspectors at appeal due to the Council NOT putting together plans for a 5 year housing supply in the first place.
Therefore, AVBC are reaping rewards from their own FAILINGS and negligence, to add insult to injury ALL of the sites that are offered for this Core Strategy are in the east of the borough, so whether planner or inspectors eventually pass these builds they will be in the east, there is NOTHING else on offer.
The Alfreton Outseats Farm development could and SHOULD have been DEFERRED last week, until the traffic issue had been investigated further, AVBC are making a total mockery of the Localism Bill as there is no localism whatsoever
The electorate is not being represented by this Council - people voted for localism and instead got corporatism, authoritarianism and an end to local democracy as planners & councillors alike bow to pressure from their political masters to make BAD decisions that will blight Amber Valley for ever more!
This is an appalling state of affairs!”