Homes plan for ex-sports ground rejected over loss of green space

A DEVELOPMENT of more than 100 homes on a former sports ground was turned down after councillors cited the loss of green space and sporting facilities.

The plans for 116 homes at The Pitches at Stag in Broom in Rotherham were denied at yesterday’s Rotherham Council planning board meeting, despite being recommended by officers for approval.

Newett Homes applied to demolish a pair of semi detached houses adjacent to the site entrance on Wickersley Road, to widen the entrance to the site. The 3.8 hectare site was previously been used for bowls, football, tennis cricket and hockey, but has not been used for this purposes for seven years.

The site is made up of a cricket pitch, football pitch, bowling green, tennis court and a sports club. A business case to the planning board said: “The site has not been used for sporting purposes for over seven years. In fact, some of the amenities within the sports ground have not been used for over 25 years and the whole site is now overgrown and in a state of disrepair.”

The developers offered £760,000 to mitigate the loss of the amenity, including £295,000 for a replacement cricket pitch and field, £365,000 for a new football pitch and changing room, £40,000 for a new bowling facility and £30,000 for tennis provision. Sport England initially objected to the scheme, but agreed to it with contributions in place.

Emma

Lancaster, agent for the applicant, said that the site is “overgrown, poorly drained ,and existing buildings are in a state of disrepair”.

She added that a playing pitch strategy, to be submitted after the application, “could mean an additional 2000 people playing football each week, 600 more playing cricket 100 More playing tennis, and 200 people taking up lawn bowls.

“The Covid-19 pandemic is brought about a renewed focus on obesity and getting more people into sport is critical in addressing this.”

Five members of the public spoke at the meeting to object to the plans, including Rother Valley MP Alexander Stafford.

Andrew Fellows, a member of the public, asked “what was the point” in the council’s local plan, if the site was to be built on. He added that through a Freedom of Information act request, he had obtained information to state that the playing fields are “allocated green space” in the local plan, adopted in 2018.

Councillor Allen Cowles said: “It simply shows that every green space in this borough is up for grabs, providing the price is met.”

After a vote, the application was refused, with councillors citing the loss of green space as a reason, and the lack of a playing pitch strategy before the application was lodged.

It shows that every green space in this borough is up for grabs. Councillor Allen Cowles, opposing the plan for new homes at Stag in Broom in Rotherham.