Plans for contaminated land
CANAL-SIDE BUILDINGS WOULD BE DEMOLISHED TO MAKE WAY FOR 53 HOMES
MORE than 50 homes could be built on a contaminated industrial site in a Derbyshire town alongside a river, canal and a historic mill.
The plans, from Wade Properties Investments Limited, would see 53 homes built on land either side of Gas Street, in Sandiacre.
All of the industrial buildings which are currently in place on the site would be demolished to make way for the proposed development.
Erewash Borough Council planning officers have recommended that the plans are approved at a meeting on Wednesday, October 13.
If given the go-ahead, homes would be built north of Gas Street on a triangular section of land home to industrial units, directly bordering the River Erewash to the east and the Erewash Canal to the west.
A Grade II-listed canal bridge sits close to the northern tip of the site.
Further housing would also be built on the south side of Gas Street on land facing Bridge Street and Cross Street, along with the River Erewash.
These homes would also face the Grade-II listed Springfield Mill, which has been converted into flats.
The council says the developers had initially proposed building 80 homes on the site but have reduced this after concerns were raised by the council and other bodies.
The 53 homes would range from two storeys tall to two-and-a-half stories. Of the homes, 31 would be three-bed houses; 19 would be twobed and three would be four-bed.
Homes facing onto Bridge Street and Gas Street would mimic the design of the mill complex and existing Edwardian industrial buildings.
Council papers say part of the northern site is contaminated as a result of its industrial history as a gasworks and that it is the only site in Erewash which is on the Contaminated Land Register.
They detail that investigation of the site found “significant ground contamination” and there was an “on-going risk to controlled waters”.
The investigation also found: “Gross contamination of made ground on the north site has been identified within the area of the former gasworks buildings and remediation is required to mitigate risks to future residents and controlled waters.”
Remediation of the site cannot take place until the industrial buildings are demolished, the report says.
The council says remediating the site in order to bring it back into use would be encouraged in order to make effective use of land in the borough and to “enhance” the local environment.
Meanwhile, the development application says there are still 30 people employed on the site.
The council says the site is classed as an “average” quality employment location and that it is a priority to retain “good” quality sites.
It says: “With its ‘average’ rating, it is considered that the employment land does not contribute to the best and most versatile stock within Erewash.”
Edwardian industrial buildings on the site would be demolished, to the dismay of the council’s conservation consultant.
However, a report provided by the developer’s building consultancy firm says the buildings would be too expensive to repair and convert.
The buildings also stand in the way of a full contamination investigation on the site, the council says, and agrees it is justified that the buildings would be demolished due to these issues.
Council officers say the harm to the listed Springfield Mill would be “less than substantial” and not enough to outweigh the benefits of developing the site for housing.
The site is in Flood Zone 2 and part of the northern section is in Flood Zone 3 - with Flood Zone 1 being the least risk and 3 being the highest.
However, council papers say the Greater Nottingham Strategic Flood Risk Assessment lists the whole site as being in the “defended zone” with sufficient protection in place.
Derbyshire County Council has asked that the developer put forward £237,116 for nine spaces at Friesland School and £3,740 for library stock to cope with the development.
A further £66,644 has been requested by the borough council for improvements for the Erewash Valley Way, such as extra seating on the canal towpath.
Council officers, recommending approval, wrote: “The site is located within a sustainable urban location.
“It is considered that the site can accommodate the number of dwellings proposed and that the layout proposed is acceptable.
“The loss of the existing buildings has been justified.
“Whilst there would be a visual impact arising from the development this would not have a significantly adverse impact upon the surrounding area, including the character of the Conservation Area and the setting of the listed former mill and bridge.”