Residents object to plans for 300 homes

HUNDREDS OF people have objected to plans to build 300 new homes in a picturesque woodland valley.

Developers Patrick Properties is planning to build a “sustainable new community” along the River Loxley, in Sheffield. They say it is the only way of funding a cleanup of derelict refractory works that were abandoned by Hepworth’s in the early 1990s.

But 250 people have so far objected, saying it would ruin the ancient woodland, destroy wildlife, cause traffic chaos and be dangerous as the land is prone to flooding.

Andy Tickle, head of campaigns at the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE), said it would be objecting strongly to the “massive housing estate”.

He said: “This is simply the wrong development in the wrong place. The proposals will impact on the very high quality landscape in the valley, which is also designated as Green Belt, and the nearby Peak District National Park.

“Although the final design and layout of the housing is not specified, we are clear that it would be the wrong development in the wrong place.

“It’s neither needed or at all appropriate for release for housing development as it would be visually intrusive and damage the openness of the green belt.

“It would be unsustainable, remote from services and itself be isolated within a sensitive and cherished valley landscape”

David Holmes, of Friends of the Loxley Valley, said: “We are so proud of our community for spelling out how strongly everybody feels about the threat of an unsustainable new township at the heart of our beautiful valley.”

He added: “We know how devastating this would be to our lives, not least to people at Malin Bridge and Hillsborough who’ll suffer all the extra traffic.”

He said major planning applications should be on hold during the coronavirus crisis.