News: Controversial Rotherham housing site put up for sale

A greenbelt site in Rotherham that was previously used for local sports, has been put up for sale.

Developers had wanted to build houses on The Pitches.

Newett Homes proposed a high-quality residential development comprising 124 dwellings on the land close to The Stag. Revised down to 116 dwellings, the council's planning board voted to refuse the plans in 2021 - going against a recommendation by its officers.

Following a subsequent appeal, a planning inspector ruled that the site provides a "visual amenity role for the local community and area" and houses should not be built there.

The site was added to Rotherham Council's register of Assets of Community Value in 2023.

Agents, Allsop, are now listing the freehold site as being for sale as an investment opportunity.

The 9.85 acre plot is listed as being by order of Fixed Charge Receivers, often used when a borrower, or mortgagor, has breached the terms of their mortgage.

Despite the previous residential plans being turned down, the property is being advertised as having the "potential for residential development (Subject to Planning)" adding that there is a "significant identified need for housing within Rotherham, with the site offering an opportunity to potentially deliver much needed dwellings for the region."

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Offers are being invited for the property, which last sold for £300,000 in 2017.

The previous planning application was being recommended for approval, so long as developers provided over £1m as part of a legal deal.

The Pitches has previously been used for football, cricket, hockey, tennis and bowls but it has been vacant for over five years. Objectors to the housing scheme accused the applicant of deliberately preventing the use of the site for sporting purposes.

Ruling on the appeal, planning inspector, Andrew McCormack, concluded that: "The potential and desire of the local community is sufficiently evident to support the case for the site to remain as protected Green Space. The amenity benefits to the local community and its people, as I have heard and seen them, are location specific and cannot be replicated or reproduced elsewhere. As such, this overall amenity value provided through the site as I have set out is considered to be irreplaceable."

During discussions over the plans, a figure of £912,000 was accepted by Sport England, due to go towards a replacement cricket pitch and field, replacement football facilities, a new bowling facility, tennis provision and to enable the Council to commission a new Playing Pitch Strategy. The inquiry showed that the total sum offered in the final Section 106 document was less than what it would cost to reinstate The Pitches site.

Concern and doubt was raised about the deliverability, nature and location of the sports mitigation package.

Allsop website

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News: Police have "no confidence" in Pitches events proposal

Environmental health officers and South Yorkshire Police are both recommending that Rotherham Council's licensing board turn down an application that would enable a number of near 10,000 capacity outdoor events on a plot of greenbelt land.

Having been turned down planning permission for housing on the land close to The Stag known as The Pitches, the owners recently applied for an events and alcohol licence to cover the whole site.

If approved, a number of events a year would be allowed related to the performance of plays, exhibition of films, live music, recorded music and the perrformance of dance. The capacity for the events would be no more than 9,999 and would include the sale of alcohol for consumption on the premises, that is the open space. The hours sought in the application are between 12 noon and 10pm every day of the week, closing at 11pm.

The application, from Pocket Sports Bar Limited, which operates in Worksop and Mexborough, is due to be discussed by councillors on the authority's Licensing Sub-Committee next week.

Catherine Lunn, Community Protection & Environmental Health Manager at Rotherham Council, said: "Following a review of the above application I am unable to agree to the granting of this licence due to concerns regarding noise affecting the surrounding residential area. The premise is surrounded on all sides by residential properties and the area is densely populated. Allowing the licence is likely to breach licensing objective in relation prevention of public nuisance."

The representation adds that there is not enough detail in the application - for example regarding controlling noise and other nuisance, traffic management, including vehicular entrance and egress to the site and parking, maintaining blue routes for emergency vehicles and policies around alcohol, drugs, entry, security and staff training.

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The report adds: "The application relies on, an as yet unseen, event management plan to provide effective control. It fails to provide site specific information. There is no option for the Responsible Authorities to reject any event management plan submitted. This means that an event could proceed regardless of any concerns any of the Responsible Authorities may have.

"The applicant has employed a professional event management company to make the application on their behalf. It is accepted that the event management plans they have produced for alternative venues are comprehensive. However, should an application be granted, there would be no obligation on the part of the applicant to employ the services of a professional event management company.

"It is therefore critical that the detail of the intended operation of an event is clearly set out in the application. The Licensing Authority would reiterate the recommendation that the application is refused as it fails to demonstrate how the licencing objectives would be promoted should a licence be granted."

South Yorkshire Police is raising an objection based on crime and disorder, public nuisance and public safety.

Tracey Klein, Licensing Assistant at SYP, said: "The applicant has not provided enough evidence as to how the premise will operate and what measures will be put in place to enable to premise to operate within the guidelines set out in the Licensing Act.

"The applicant held a pre-consultation, where South Yorkshire Police provided additional conditions we would require, it was noted that the formal application would still have to be processed and other departments within South Yorkshire Police would be consulted to provide comments, unfortunately other than the conditions we initially requested no other conditions were offered. As a result South Yorkshire Police have no confidence that the premise will run within the guidelines set out in the Licensing act and uphold the four licensing objectives."

The nine acre site on Wickersley Road has previously been used for football, cricket, hockey, tennis and bowls but it has been vacant for over five years. However, the club house remains on the site, complete with alcohol licence.

A number of residents have made representations on the latest licence application. They raise concerns around crime, traffic, noise, safety and the impact on the green space.

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News: 9,999 capacity events plan for Rotherham green belt site

A plot of greenbelt land where developers were turned down planning permission for housing could be used for a number of near 10,000 capacity outdoor events, if a newly submitted licensing application is approved.

Pocket Sports Bar Limited, which operates in Worksop and Mexborough, has applied for a new licence to provide a range of activities on land known as The Pitches, including live music and the sale of alcohol.

Newett Homes proposed a high-quality residential development comprising 124 dwellings on the land close to The Stag. Revised down to 116 dwellings, the council's planning board voted to refuse the plans - going against a recommendation by its officers.

Following a subsequent appeal, a planning inspector ruled that the site provides a "visual amenity role for the local community and area" and said that houses should not be built there. The land has since been placed on Rotherham Council's register of Assets of Community Value.

The nine acre site on Wickersley Road has previously been used for football, cricket, hockey, tennis and bowls but it has been vacant for over five years. However, the club house remains on the site, complete with alcohol licence.

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Applicants say that: "The current licence would remain in force, likely to be subject to variation for plans and area" and have now applied for a licence to cover the whole site.

The application seeks to provide the following licensable activities, all of which will be provided outdoors in the open space:

- Performance of plays
- Exhibition of films
- Live music
- Recorded Music
- Performance of Dance
- Anything of a similar description to 3, 4, and 5 above
- The sale of alcohol for consumption on the premises, that is the open space

The hours sought in the application are between 12 noon and 10pm every day of the week, closing at 11pm.

The application form adds: "This would be for a bespoke premises licence that allowed a number of events a year. For 2023 - 1 - 2, for 2024 - 1-3, from 2025 onward - no more than 6 events a year."

Applicants say that the capacity for the events would be no more than 9,999, adding that the site itself is 40,000 sq. m. (430,500 sq. ft.), "which without infrastructure could hold up to 100,000 people. (2.5 persons per sqm = 100,000). The planned capacity limit is roughly 10% of what the site could hold without infrastructure."

Pocket Sports Bar Limited, which already has its registered address at The Pitches, shares a director - Peter Eyre - with Pitches Developments Ltd, the firm involved in the housing scheme.

Representations to the application must be received by Rotherham Council no later than July 3 2023.

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News: Controversial Rotherham land made asset of community value

A plot of greenbelt land where developers were turned down planning permission for housing is back on Rotherham Council's register of Assets of Community Value.

During the long-running planning battle, the authority reversed a decision to list The Pitches site.

Newett Homes proposed a high-quality residential development comprising 124 dwellings on the land close to The Stag. Revised down to 116 dwellings, the council's planning board voted to refuse the plans - going against a recommendation by its officers.

Following a subsequent appeal, a planning inspector ruled that the site provides a "visual amenity role for the local community and area" and houses should not be built there.

With an application imminent, Friends of The Pitches originally secured the site as an Asset of Community Value in 2019 but following an internal review at the request of the site owners, council officers overturned the original successful listing decision.

An executive decision was made in February 2023 to put the site back on the list.

The register of assets of community value enables town and parish councils, local voluntary and community organisations the opportunity to nominate local land or buildings if they consider them to be of community value.

The tool is often used to give groups the opportunity to step in to save an asset if it comes up for sale. Successful applications to Rotherham's register include pubs, youth centres, greenspace and former council buildings.

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The planning application for the site at Stag was being recommended for approval, so long as developers provided over £1m as part of a legal deal.

The nine acre site on Wickersley Road has previously been used for football, cricket, hockey, tennis and bowls but it has been vacant for over five years.

Ruling on the appeal, planning inspector, Andrew McCormack, concluded last year that: "The potential and desire of the local community is sufficiently evident to support the case for the site to remain as protected Green Space. The amenity benefits to the local community and its people, as I have heard and seen them, are location specific and cannot be replicated or reproduced elsewhere. As such, this overall amenity value provided through the site as I have set out is considered to be irreplaceable."

During discussions over the plans, a figure of £912,000 was accepted by Sport England, due to go towards a replacement cricket pitch and field, replacement football facilities, a new bowling facility, tennis provision and to enable the Council to commission a new Playing Pitch Strategy. The inquiry showed that the total sum offered in the final Section 106 document was less than what it would cost to reinstate The Pitches site.

Concern and doubt was raised about the deliverability, nature and location of the sports mitigation package.

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News: Appeal turned down for Rotherham greenbelt housing plans

A planning inspector has dismissed an appeal by developers wanting to build over 100 new houses on "irreplaceable" greenspace in Rotherham.

Rothbiz reported last year that the planning board at Rotherham Council voted to refuse the plans for The Pitches - going against a recommendation by its officers.

After consultation, Newett Homes reduced the proposals in scale, resulting in a proposal for 116 dwellings.

The application for the site at Stag was being recommended for approval, so long as developers provided over £1m as part of a legal deal.

The nine acre site on Wickersley Road has previously been used for football, cricket, hockey, tennis and bowls but it has been vacant for over five years.

The hearing for the appeal focused on whether the development would be contrary to Rotherham's Local Plan with regard to the protection of designated greenspace; the effect of the proposed scheme on the provision of protected greenspace; and "whether the proposed scheme makes adequate provision for any existing and additional need for Green Space and recreational facilities arising from the scheme with regard to its quantity, quality and suitable location."

Having visited the site, and heard representations from the applicant, council and the local community, planning inspector, Andrew McCormack, concluded that: "From submissions and my observations, it is clear to me that the site provides a significant visual amenity role for the local community and area. Accordingly, having taken all relevant matters into account, I find the broad amenity function that the site has provided in the past and continues to provide environmentally, physically and visually to the local community to be irreplaceable.

"I find that the site provides significant amenity value to the local community in terms of environmental and physical benefits. Whilst opportunities for its continuing use in this way have been restricted in recent years, the potential and desire of the local community is sufficiently evident to support the case for the site to remain as protected Green Space. The amenity benefits to the local community and its people, as I have heard and seen them, are location specific and cannot be replicated or reproduced elsewhere. As such, this overall amenity value provided through the site as I have set out is considered to be irreplaceable."

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The inspector also concluded that there are "no substantive material considerations which overcome the significant harm that would result in the loss of the protected greenspace on the local area and its residents."

During discussions over the plans, a figure of £912,000 was accepted by Sport England, due to go towards a replacement cricket pitch and field, replacement football facilities, a new bowling facility, tennis provision and to enable the Council to commission a new Playing Pitch Strategy. The inquiry showed that the total sum offered in the final Section 106 document was less than what it would cost to reinstate The Pitches site.

The inspector found that the mitigation package does not propose to create any new sports land, such as pitches or courts, and is based solely on qualitative improvements to sports provision elsewhere in the Rotherham area. Concern and doubt was raised about the deliverability, nature and location of the sports mitigation package.

Having heard the evidence, McCormack concluded that: "The proposed mitigation does not include a new football pitch, cricket pitch, tennis courts or a bowling green. There is, therefore, no direct replacement provision of the facilities that are on the appeal site, irrespective of their condition, and which would be permanently lost to the proposed development.

"The appellant stated during the Inquiry that what currently exists on the overgrown appeal site does not equate to useable sporting facilities which were previously used. As such, they do not constitute current provision and do not need to be replaced by something equivalent or better. In my view, the potential for those facilities on the site to be used again, regardless of any reinstatement or maintenance work and cost that may be needed, is sufficient justification to ensure that such provision is at least equivalently compensated for in quantitative and qualitative terms.

"I find that the impact of the proposed scheme on amenity in the local area, its residents and the loss of existing sport and recreation facilities at the appeal site would not be appropriately and adequately addressed and mitigated overall."

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News: Appeal goes up at The Pitches

Developers have appealed Rotherham Council's decision to refuse controversial plans to build over 100 new houses on greenspace.

Rothbiz reported in March that the planning board at Rotherham Council voted to refuse the plans for The Pitches - going against a recommendation by its officers.

The application for the site at Stag was being recommended for approval, so long as developers provided over £1m as part of a legal deal.

After consultation, Newett Homes reduced the proposals in scale, resulting in a proposal for 116 dwellings.

The nine acre site on Wickersley Road has previously been used for football, cricket, hockey, tennis and bowls but it has been vacant for over five years, during which it has not been available for public or private use. The site also includes a club house.

Reasons for refusal were that the plans were contrary to Rotherham's Local Plan Policy SP38 "Protecting Green Space" which indicates that such sites will be protected from future development.

The second reason was based on the absence of an up to date Playing Pitch Strategy so there is "insufficient evidence to demonstrate that the proposed mitigation is sufficient to provide replacement sporting facilities of an equivalent or better provision in terms of quantity and quality" in accordance with national planning policy.

£912,000 had been accepted by Sport England for new facilities.

A Government planning inspector will now make a decision on the application.

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Newett Homes has put forward its arguments through its consultants and will argue that the site "does not offer any form of irreplaceable amenity function; residential, visual or for sport and recreation," adding that the development would improve existing public amenities and create new ones both on and off-site.

On the second reason for refusal, the developer will argue that the "proposed mitigation strategy is entirely appropriate" and that "a Playing Pitch Strategy is not required before it can be determined whether the mitigation which is proposed is sufficient."

Quod Consultants said: "RMBC’s [Rotherham Council's] reasons for refusal are borne out of the perception that the site fulfils an irreplaceable amenity role and that its loss cannot be adequately mitigated.

"The Appellant will demonstrate that the site has no meaningful public recreational or other amenity value and that its development would, in fact, give rise to the creation of improved sports and recreation facilities in the area and new recreational amenities at the site, as well as other benefits for the local community that should all be afforded positive weight in the planning balance.

"The Appellant will also show that their mitigation proposals have been tailored to local sports needs and strategies and, as such, are entirely appropriate."

A date for a public inquiry has not been set but the Planning Inspectorate wants evidence to be submitted before October 12.

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News: Pitches plans turned down

The planning board at Rotherham Council has voted to refuse plans to build over 100 new houses on greenspace - going against a recommendation by its officers.

Rothbiz reported earlier this month that the application for a site known as "The Pitches" at Stag was being recommended for approval, so long as developers provided over £1m as part of a legal deal.

In 2019 Newett Homes proposed a high-quality residential development of 124 homes. After consultation, the proposed development has been reduced in scale, resulting in a proposal for 116 dwellings.

The nine acre site on Wickersley Road has previously been used for football, cricket, hockey, tennis and bowls but it has been vacant for over five years, during which it has not been available for public or private use. The site also includes a club house.

A number of objectors spoke at the planning board before councillors discussed aspects of the proposals such as the site being allocated as greenspace in the local plan, traffic concerns and wildlife. Some accuse the applicant of deliberately preventing the use of the site for sporting purposes and of showing disregard for planning regulations.

The issue of a 1914 covenent on the land was also discussed but this is not a planning consideration and is a private legal matter. And even if approval was granted, it would not override any legal covenent that may restrict the use of the land.

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Board members heard that the appplication had met national planning policy relating to mitigating the loss of sports pitches. Having turned down figures of £300,000 and £560,000, a figure of £912,000 has been accepted by Sport England.

The applicant has advised that there is no intention to reopen the site for sports use and the money would go towards a replacement cricket pitch and field, replacement football facilities, a new bowling facility, tennis provision and to enable the Council to commission a new Playing Pitch Strategy.

In addition, the Section 106 Agreement (legal agreements between the councils and developers linked to planning permissions) included £237,604 for schools provision. 25% of the houses would need to be affordable housing.

However, the planning board voted seven against and six in favour.

Reasons for refusal were that the plans were contrary to Rotherham's Local Plan Policy SP38 "Protecting Green Space" which indicates that such sites will be protected from future development.

The second reason was based on the absence of an up to date Playing Pitch Strategy so there is "insufficient evidence to demonstrate that the proposed mitigation is sufficient to provide replacement sporting facilities of an equivalent or better provision in terms of quantity and quality" in accordance with national planning policy.

One planning board member who voted against the plans was cllr. John Williams, who gave his reasons at the meeting. He said: "It's not a decision I take lightly but I think it is the loss of the greenspace. The mitigation for that loss is dependent on a lot of work on a strategy that isn't in place. So I wasn't satisfied or reassured on the loss of the greenspace."

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News: Developers set to stump up £1m

Developers wanting to build over 100 new houses on greenspace in Rotherham will need to provide over £1m as part of the legal deal connected to the proposed planning permission. Cash would go towards new cricket and football facilities.

The application for a site known as "The Pitches" at Stag is set to be discussed at the Rotherham Council planning board next week where it is being recomended for approval by council planners.

Rothbiz reported in 2019 that Newett Homes was proposing a high-quality residential development of 124 homes.

The nine acre site on Wickersley Road has previously been used for football, cricket, hockey, tennis and bowls but it has been vacant for over five years, during which it has not been avaible for public or private use. The site also includes a club house.

1997 plans for residential development on the site were refused.

The 2019 plans have met with opposition due to the site being allocated as greenspace in the local plan.

Sport England raised objections and campaign group, Friends of The Pitches, successfully secured the site as an Asset of Community Value but following an internal review at the request of the site owners, council officers overturned the original successful listing decision.

Planning documents state: "The facility has been closed for a number of years and the applicant has advised that there is no intention to reopen it for sports use as it has fallen into disrepair."

Now the plans, which also include the demolition of two current houses, have been updated and the proposed development has been reduced in scale, resulting in a proposal for 116 dwellings.

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Sport England consider the development "a finely balanced application" and has been consultated throughout on what mitigation can be put in place for the loss of greenspace. Having turned down figures of £300,000 and £560,000, a figure of £912,000 has been accepted.

The money will go towards a replacement cricket pitch and field, replacement football facilities, a new bowling facility, tennis provision and to enable the Council to commission a new Playing Pitch Strategy.

In addition, the Section 106 Agreement (legal agreements between the councils and developers linked to planning permissions) includes £237,604 for schools provision.

A number of the 150 objectors are due to speak at the meeting. Many accuse the applicant of deliberately preventing the use of the site for sporting purposes and of showing disregard for planning regulations by keeping portable cabins on the site before securing planning permission.

In the board documents, planners conclude: "The site [is] allocated as Greenspace in the Local Plan. However, following many years of vacancy, it is acknowledged that the land is unlikely to be used for future playing pitch sports. This is compounded by the site being within private ownership with no mechanism to open the site up for public access.

"The site is not allocated for residential use, but the proposal would represent a windfall site for new housing. The development plan position is that the site should be retained as Green Space unless it is surplus to requirements or in the event that equivalent or better provision of Greenspace is provided as replacement facilities. In this regard a mitigation package has been offered of £912,000 towards the provision of a Playing Pitch Strategy and subsequent alternative sports provision, it is considered that this would represent adequate mitigation in order to offset the permanent loss of the private sports facility."

If approved, further conditions would be attached to the permission including 25% of the houses to be affordable housing.

Members of the planning board will meet to dicuss the plans on March 18.

Newett Homes website

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News: Council's curveball in Pitches planning battle

Rotherham Council has reversed a decision to list The Pitches site as an Asset of Community Value in a blow to local campaigners who are against it being used for housing.

Rothbiz reported in April that Newett Homes is proposing a high-quality residential development comprising 124 dwellings on land known as The Pitches at Stag and that there was already opposition to the plans.

Friends of The Pitches successfully secured the site as an Asset of Community Value but following an internal review at the request of the site owners, council officers have overturned the original successful listing decision.

The register of assets of community value enables town and parish councils, local voluntary and community organisations the opportunity to nominate local land or buildings if they consider them to be of community value.

The tool is often used to give groups the opportunity to step in to save an asset if it comes up for sale. Successful applications to Rotherham's register include pubs, youth centres, greenspace and former council buildings.

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The authority will have been contemplating whether being an asset of community value is a material consideration in the determination of the planning application for housing.

A decision published by Rotherham Council reads: "As per the guidance, an internal review on the original successful listing decision to list The Pitches, Pitches Sports Club, Wickersley Road, Rotherham has been undertaken at the request of the property owners. The review was conducted by an officer of appropriate seniority, who did not take part in the original decision to list.

"This approval now supersedes the original approval overturning the original successful listing decision.

"The outcome of the review has concluded that the original successful decision should be overturned and the listing removed from the successful register and placed on the unsuccessful register."

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News: Enforcement action over use of Pitches site

Enforcement action is being taken to have portakabins removed from a controversial development site in Rotherham.

A slow moving Government Planning Inspectorate could mean that the cabins could stay for longer than the twelve months the applicant originally applied for, just as one planning board member predicted.

Rothbiz reported in April that Newett Homes is proposing a high-quality residential development comprising 124 dwellings on land known as The Pitches at Stag and that there was already opposition to the plans.

In May, applicants Hotel Van Dyk Ltd, were refused retrospective planning application by the council's planning board to use the land temporarily for office and storage containers.

Opposition to the plans came from local residents and planning board members who claimed that the containers already on the playing fields are being used as site offices for the housing proposals and added that work felling trees has already taken place. The applicants, who did not attend the meeting, stated that they are moving from a site at Chesterfield to Hellaby but need to use The Pitches site as a stop gap.

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The board went against officer's recommendation and refused the plans based on the opinion that the "offices and storage containers result in a loss of Green Space and the land is not suitable, even on a temporary basis, for such a development."

Board member Cllr. Bob Walsh stated that it might actually be quicker to approve the plans than to go through a potential appeals process and enforcement action.

With an enforcement notice served and an appeal against the decision received, Chris Wilkins, development manager at Rotherham Council, updated the planning board last month, saying: "The [planning] inspectorate has indicated that we may not even get a start date until next year, which is longer than the temporary permission they are applying for. We haven't found this very acceptable.

"We have written back to them to say this isn't acceptable. Retrospective applications, you should deal with as a priority. We are hoping they will get a quicker resolution."

Having been given a hurry up by the council, last week, the inspectorate wrote back to confirm the start date for the Enforcement Notice Appeal as July 30, giving parties a couple of months to submit evidence.

The cabins remain on site.

Images: RMBC

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News: Early planning victories in Pitches battle

Campaigners opposed to development on a site in Rotherham that was previously used for a range of sports have scored a brace of early victories.

Rothbiz reported last month that Newett Homes is proposing a high-quality residential development comprising 124 dwellings on land known as The Pitches at Stag and that there was already opposition to the plans.

Friends of The Pitches have now successfully secured the site as an Asset of Community Value.

The register of assets of community value enables town and parish councils, local voluntary and community organisations the opportunity to nominate local land or buildings if they consider them to be of community value.

The tool is often used to give groups the opportunity to step in to save an asset if it comes up for sale. Successful applications to Rotherham's register include pubs, youth centres, greenspace and former council buildings.

In planning terms, it will now be up to Rotherham Council to decide how much weight to give to the land entering the register. The authority will decide whether being an asset of community value is a material consideration in the determination of the planning application for housing.

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Also on the site, applicants Hotel Van Dyk Ltd, were recently refused retrospective planning application by the council's planning board to use the land temporarily for office and storage containers.

Opposition to the plans came from local residents and planning board members who claim that the containers already on the playing fields are being used as site offices for the housing proposals and added that work felling trees has already taken place. The applicants, who did not attend the meeting, state that they are moving from a site at Chesterfield to Hellaby but need to use The Pitches site as a stop gap.

The board went against officer's recommendation and refused the plans.

Cllr. Jennifer Whysall told the meeting: "I'd got a feeling that it was April the first reading this. I just feel that someone is having a laugh here, and that is accepting that this is about the siting of those things [the office and containers] and not about any future housing development which is obviously going to be another matter.

"I'm lost for words in a way. It is so inappropriate. It's against our own policy, it's retrospective, no consideration for anybody by the look of it and it just seems totally unnecessarily."

Fellow board member Cllr. Bob Walsh stated that it might actually be quicker to approve the plans than to go through a potential appeals process and enforcement action.

The plans were refused based on the opinion that the "offices and storage containers result in a loss of Green Space and the land is not suitable, even on a temporary basis, for such a development."

The applicants will be able to appeal the decision but enforcement action has been authorised by the council requiring the removal of the offices and storage containers, with a compliance period of 28 days.

Newett homes website

Images: Google Maps / RMBC

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News: Plans pitch up for houses on Rotherham sports site

Developers are looking to score big with plans for over 100 new houses on a site in Rotherham that was previously used for sports.

Newett Homes is proposing a high-quality residential development comprising 124 dwellings on land known as The Pitches at Stag.

The acre site on Wickersley Road has previously been used for football, cricket, hockey, tennis and bowls but it has been vacant for approximately five years, during which it has not been available for public or private use. The site also includes a club house.

Plans, drawn up by JRP and Quad Consulting, are for 1, 2, 3 and 4-bedroom dwellings and provides 31 affordable homes (24.8%) on site plus plans for landscaping, public open space and associated infrastructure. The former sports pavilion/clubhouse building will be demolished to facilitate the proposed vehicular access.

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Most of the site is allocated as urban green space and was promoted as a residential allocation in the development of the borough's local plan by the current site owners but this was rejected by Rotherham Council on the basis that "there is demonstrable demand for sporting facilities on site."

Applicants believe that "the evidence which the Council relied upon to justify the allocation was weak and limited weight should be afforded to the allocation in decision-making on that basis."

A public consultation took place in January with around 100 people attending and the plans have been amended to address concerns.

There has been some opposition to the plans and a group of local residents submitted an application to Rotherham Council with the aim of nominating the site as an Asset of Community Value but the applicants say that it does not meet the definition as it has not been used for over five years.

Applicants are proposing that the loss of playing pitches as a result of the development will be fully mitigated via improvements to existing provision elsewhere in the borough. An initial figure of £300,000 has been devised through a section 106 agreement and the development will also be eligible for the borough's Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL).

With one access road onto Wickersley Road, a transport assessment concludes that "generated traffic on the surrounding area has been shown to be negligible and it is therefore concluded that the proposals could be accommodated without resulting in a detrimental or severe impact upon the local highway network."

Newett Homes website

Images: Google Maps / Newett Homes / JRP

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