Noise levels at proposed estate are compared to London and Birmingham
DEVELOPER WANTS TO BUILD 50 DETACHED HOUSES IN VILLAGE
NOISE levels at a potential housing site in a Derbyshire village have been compared to London and Birmingham – a situation which is suspected will drastically increase.
Redrow Homes wants to build 50 detached houses on land off Egginton Road and Jacksons Lane, Etwall.
Outline approval has already been granted for homes but details have yet to be decided in a further planning application.
South Derbyshire District Council’s planning committee pushed a decision on that detailed application back for a second time last week.
The first deferral was for a visit to the site to gain a better understanding of the issues and this latest deferral was to give the developer more time to provide flood and drainage information.
Councillors had been on the brink of refusing the application due to the flood risk and the potential for it to be worsened by the scheme, and the noise which residents would experience from the soon-to-be adjacent “freeport” industrial development. This would include a large amount of warehouse and manufacturing space for new businesses across from Toyota’s Burnaston headquarters, in a Government bid to boost trade in the region.
Cllr Lisa Brown told the meeting: “The allocation of this site (in the council’s local plan, a blueprint for future development) was made before we knew what was going on, for the Government to put the freeport right next to it. It (the freeport) will stretch for a mile in every direction and will operate 24/7, 365 and the A38 will be serving it night and day.
“The noise on the site is already a problem and the noise from the freeport will be pounding next to this site night and day. For heaven’s sake we are not in London or Birmingham, we are in rural Etwall.
“Children will be there on the site, how will they be able to play outside with roaring traffic and pollution?”
Cllr Brown said there were issues with water filtering into the ground on the site, meaning it runs off and floods the surrounding area instead of being absorbed. She said this leaves the surrounding watercourses and roads “up to their necks overflowing”.
Cllr Brown said: “I am very, very worried about drainage and flooding. The developer has tried their best with this site but it (the application) is riddled with missing details.”
James Boyles, who has lived in Egginton Road near the site for more than 30 years, said he was not completely opposed to housing on the site, and said the Redrow scheme was the “least worst outcome”.
He said a proposed footpath on the development indicated it would lead to a bus stop, but he said the last bus service to the site stopped 20 years ago and there was no stop.
Alex Kenny, a representative for Redrow Homes, said the company’s aim was to “give people a better way to live...without impinging too much”.
He said the homes would help the district meet its housing need shortfall and that the company was aware of flooding concerns.
Mr Kenny said the flooding was a result of poorly maintained drainage systems such as ditches on the site. The development of the area would remove all of this issue, he said.
Council planning officials said it was not for Redrow to future-proof for the freeport scheme, but for the freeport scheme to mitigate its noise levels to avoid disturbing the homes.
Cllr David Muller said: “I have always felt this was a totally inappropriate site. The visit today was a taste of how noisy the site can be. “I had a house not far from this site and moved away because the noise levels were intolerable.
“At £750,000 per property... I question the plans to build these homes not far from the A50.” Cllr Peter Watson said: “Redrow has submitted a comprehensive application but not satisfactory information on how they will handle surface water run-off.”
Cllr Trevor Southerd, the authority’s deputy leader, said he was surprised councillors were even considering refusal and suspected the council would lose its case for refusal at appeal.
Cllr Brown said refusal would not stop the developer coming back and trying again, but after advice from planning officers agreed that the application could be deferred until information on drainage is submitted.
The noise on the site is already a problem and the noise from the freeport will be pounding next to this site night and day.
Cllr Lisa Brown