Sponsored by
Belper homes decision in the pipeline
Concerned residents in two Belper roads are waiting anxiously to discover the outcome of a planning inquiry into a controversial development near their homes.
People living in Nailers Way and Beeley Close have been fighting plans for 90 homes on countryside land off their roads for more than a year.
They claim the plan would bring a dangerous amount of traffic to the area, ruin the countryside and affect their quality of life, as the cul-de-sacs will be opened up as access to the development.
The application, by Belper-based Peveril Homes, has been rejected twice by council planners, but now the fate of development rests in the hands of Government planning inspector Mark Dakeyne, who conducted an inquiry into the development this week.
Jane Maggs, whose elderly mother Joy lives in Beeley Close, said: "We're not sure what to think. You just don't know."
Chris Allen, of Nailers Way, argued that the town simply could not deal with more homes.
He said: "The infrastructure dates back over 100 years. It can't cope with the existing demands. Nailers Way and Beeley Close are almost single lane roads, local schools are overcrowded and we have an already overstretched police force. Plus this development would ruin the historic value of Belper. For this, I think the appellant should be ashamed."
Neighbour John Maher said the idea of cars travelling down his quiet cul-de-sac to get to the new development filled him with "dread". He added: "It would destroy my quality of life and that of my neighbours."
The development, which is split into two applications for 28 affordable homes and 62 homes of market value, was turned down by planners because of the effect it would have on residents and because the agricultural site was not allocated for housing in the Amber Valley Borough Council local plan, which is a blueprint for building in the borough.
Solicitor Andrew Hogan, who represented the council, said: "The local plan looks for sites within the urban area of Belper to meet the housing pressures set by Amber Valley at the time. The pressures were not great enough to force allocation of this site. This is a direct contravention of the local plan."
Peveril has argued that the local plan, due to be replaced by the Core Strategy next year, was out of date, and no longer a true measure of need in the area.
Andrew Williamson, who acted on behalf of the company at the inquiry, said: "You cannot say this is up to date. The council would be out of their minds to consider figures from 1996."
The company also claimed housing was needed in light of a shortfall in market value and affordable homes, which it said was "chronic and severe."
A decision is expected by the end of October.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Belper
Sunday 05 February 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 2 C to 6 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: West
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 1 C to 5 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: North
