Planners block housing scheme for ‘110’ homes in Glossop to save playing fields

Planners have blocked a large housing scheme to build up to 110 homes on a college site in a Derbyshire market town in a bid to preserve greenfield sports playing fields. 

High Peak Borough Council’s Development Control Committee refused Derbyshire County Council’s application to build up to 110 properties at Glossopdale Community College’s Lower Site, on Talbot Road, in Glossop, on 4.75 hectares of vacant land after concluding the importance of keeping recreational fields outweighed the need for this particular development. 

A borough council spokesperson stated: “The proposed development would involve the loss of playing field land, which is not associated with an alternative facility of equal or better quality to deliver benefits to clearly outweigh its loss and neither has an assessment been undertaken to demonstrate that the playing field land is surplus to requirements.” 

Derbyshire County Council’s application features plans to develop homes, including 30 per cent affordable housing, across a site including 2.15 hectares of previously developed land and crucially 2.6 hectares of playing field land even though this area has not been in use for at least five years. 

The proposed site also included three points of access including two new vehicular points off Talbot Road as well as the existing access at North Road. 

Following a public consultation, neighbours raised objections including a feared increase in traffic and congestion, a desire for more public service infrastructure instead of more housing following previously approved housing schemes in Glossop, and a feared loss of privacy for existing residents. 

But after Sport England objected to the proposed scheme on the grounds that if this residential development was approved it would result in the loss of the whole of the playing field land, High Peak Borough Council planning officers recommended that the committee refused the planning application. 

High Peak Borough Council’s senior planning officer Rachael Simpkin told the committee meeting on September 8 that despite the applicants targeting previously developed land there is some friction with development policy with the use of playing fields with no proposal for these to be replaced at this stage or with any evidence that these playing fields are surplus to requirement. 

David Quinn, of Glossopdale Site Residents Group, said his organisation recognises the need for housing but he also raised concerns about feared drainage issues if the scheme got the go-ahead, increased traffic concerns, congestion, pollution and whether the proposed scheme would fit with the character of the surrounding properties. 

Derbyshire County Council’s highways authority had concluded the scheme would not create an unacceptable impact on highway safety or a severe impact on congestion and it raised no objections. 

In addition, the county council’s flood authority also raised no objections subject to conditions including that no development should take place until a design, management and maintenance plan of the surface water drainage for the site is established. 

The applicant’s agent Sarah Cox also argued that the scheme involved a sustainable brownfield site and that it would support much-needed housing supply as well as High Peak Borough Council’s own housing shortfall while providing a benefit for the community. 

But after borough Cllr Linda Grooby’s motion to defer any decision on the application was lost due to her concerns that the matter may well go to an appeal, the planning committee voted by a majority to refuse planning permission for the county council’s outline planning application. 

Ms Simpkin said: “There is a clear difference of opinion. They consider the land is brownfield and we consider it is green field and protected.” 

Borough Cllr Gillian Scott said she thought considering the potential loss of playing fields is important and that if they were brought up to standard they could be an important facility.