Homes plan gets go-ahead despite neighbour concerns
OBJECTORS RAISE TRAFFIC AND ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR FEARS
A COUNCIL has approved plans for homes in a leafy Derbyshire town despite concerns over a proposed footbridge attracting anti-social behaviour.
The plans, submitted by Davidsons Developments Limited and Alexander Bruce Estates Ltd, will now see 46 homes built off Station Road in Melbourne.
Members of South Derbyshire District Council’s planning committee approved the scheme this week.
Objecting residents and the area’s district representative said the road past the site is in dire need of safety measures.
Derbyshire County Council said there was not sufficient statistical proof of issues on the route.
It did say it would have “slow” painted on Station Road near the proposed site entrance and would use £8,000 put forward from another Melbourne housing development for road safety measures.
A resident speaking on behalf of neighbours living nearby objected to a footbridge set to link the new proposal to the existing development.
He claimed there have been accidents on the “blind bind” on Carr Brook Way near the proposed footpath link, involving kids on bikes, which saw ambulances called.
The objecting resident said anti-social behaviour had increased in the area in recent years, with the police called.
Tom Collins, agent for the applicant, says the firm appreciates the concerns of residents and says new development would be “high quality” and would include 14 affordable homes.
The footpath link between the new and neighbouring Sweet Leys development would be “well overlooked,” say council officers, which has been designed on purpose to deter antisocial behaviour.
Cllr Martin Fitzpatrick says this part of Melbourne has a very serious speeding issue with motorists sharply increasing their speed once they get out
of the town centre.
He said online shopping vehicles are part of the current issue, which he says would increase further if new homes are approved.
Cllr Fitzpatrick said: “It passes on more risk to children in an area that is already high risk.
“We need to come up with some safe solutions to the area.
“There are concerns that new people coming to the area will bring more traffic and more speeding.
“There is a need for common sense here. We don’t seem to have connected the dots. There is a need for a crossing here.”
Richard Stewart, a district council planning officer, said: “I appreciate that road safety is an emotive issue.”
He said residents could walk through residential streets such as the Sweet Leys development instead of walking along Station Road.
Cllr Peter Watson said: “I hear what everyone is saying about speeding on the roads, but we have to live with those and do the best we can, we need to work on regulating the speed on the roads which is ridiculous.”
Of the 46 homes planned for the site, 14 would be affordable housing – with a mix of 11 affordable rent (80 per cent of local market average) and three shared ownership (tenants gradually buy total control of the property but start with a portion).
In total, 10 homes would be two-bed, 19 homes would be three-bed, 13 homes would be four-bed and four homes would be five-bed.