Councillor accused as he fights to save wildlife site from homes
A BATTLE has broken out between councillors over plans to build up to 500 homes on a wildlife haven in Sheffield.
More than 1,000 people have signed a petition against plans to develop Owlthorpe Fields, off Moorthorpe Way, and the campaign intensified after a planning application for an initial 72 homes was submitted.
Beighton Liberal Democrat councillor Bob McCann is opposing the development, saying it will damage the environment and there has been a lack of consultation.
But Labour says Coun McCann himself earmarked the site for housing when he was a cabinet member in 2009. Coun McCann said the community would lose its only green space and there would be an increase in traffic.
He said: “Beighton village was flooded recently for the second time since November. Building
upstream in Owlthorpe will only make the situation worse. These are the kind of problems that would have come to light if the council had actually consulted with local people on the plans.
“Building on this land is a quick fix for a long-term problem. And as with all bodge jobs, the ramifications will come back to haunt the council.”
Coun Bob Johnson, cabinet member for transport and development, said he was in discussions with groups and meeting campaigners. “Owlthorpe is an important local green space which is valued by residents, I hope that we can make progress on this issue. It’s important that residents are fully consulted and their voices are heard in plans that come forward for the site.
“However, for Coun McCann and the Lib Dems to claim to be against this site being developed is unbelievable.
“It was their decision back in 2009 that allows the site to be developed for housing and Coun McCann himself was the cabinet member for housing. It is his decision to specifically allow the Owlthorpe site to be open to housing that has put us in this position.”