Derbyshire planners give the nod for more housing at huge residential and commercial site

The planning committee of NE Derbyshire District Council approved applicant St Modwen Homes Ltd’s proposed changes at a meeting on April 23 relating to four areas of land at the overall development at the former BiWater site, near Brassington Lane and Furnace Hill Road, north of Clay Cross.

Planning officer Graeme Cooper stated in a council report: “Egstow Park was originally granted permission for a maximum of 825 dwellings, eight hectares of employment-generating uses, public open space and link road.

“The applicant seeks to amend the approved parameters plan to include additional residential units, lose some employment land, move the local centre and accommodate a larger area of public open space.”

He explained the site originally had consent to provide a maximum of 825 dwellings but minor amendments meant this maximum changed to 783.

And prior to the latest approved changes Egstow Park was expected to deliver an estimated 669 dwellings in total, according to Mr Cooper, and the new changes would now mean an additional 106 homes.

The changes will mean 3.15hectares of land will now be used for 106 residential units instead of employment land, and a 0.3hectare area of land will be used for ten planned homes instead of a centre with drinking and eatery establishments which will be moved to another area of 0.22hectares with five planned homes on land which had been earmarked for open space.

In addition, another one hectare section of land will no longer be used for employment but will be used as a new open space area and the new revised proposal would reduce the total employment land from five hectares to 1.41hectares.

The applicant argued the original plans were not viable due to marketing conditions, costs and the ground conditions and even though the loss of employment land contradicts the aims of the council’s Local Plan, the relocation of the ‘centre’ would not reduce the centre’s provision for drinking and eatery establishments.

Mr Cooper explained at the meeting that ground issues including trees and steep land were problematic and therefore there were extenuating circumstances to grant permission for the proposed changes.

He stated in the council report: “Officers are of the view that, whilst changes to the layout of the site may be beneficial and that the local market is strong for commercial development, the money needed to be spent to overcome the ground conditions would in all likelihood render the site unviable for any form of commercial development.”

Some residents have objected to the proposed development on the grounds that it will see a loss of green space, have a negative effect on wildlife, increase light, noise and traffic pollution, create commercials smells, increase the potential for anti-social behaviour and create traffic issues.

However, Derbyshire County Council’s Highways Authority stated it foresees an overall slight reduction in traffic generation because the developer is not able to deliver the original 825 dwellings.

An Environmental Health Officer initially confirmed no objections regarding noise but requested more information relating to land contamination.

The lead local flood authority raised no comments and Yorkshire Water has raised no objection.

Derbyshire Wildlife Trust has stated that it supports the changes to some of the land because woodland will be retained and there will be an increase in habitat provision.

Mr Cooper stated in the report: “If permission was to be granted as proposed, Egstow Park would deliver an additional 106 dwellings at the loss of the employment land. The delivery of additional housing is a benefit to the scheme and would show flexibility.”

He added that amending land from an employment use to public open space would strengthen the central green infrastructure corridor, retain woodland and create a green wedge between the two halves of Egstow Park with some modest biodiversity gain.

Approval of the proposed changes is also expected to create an opportunity to revisit and deliver a link road between the A61 and A6175, according to the council.

Mr Cooper’s report stated officers believe there are considerations in favour of the recommended approval for the proposed changes including the actual, viability of delivering employment, the benefits of additional housing, ecological enhancement and the delivery of the link road.

The planning committee voted unanimously to conditionally approve planning permission for the proposed changes for Egstow Park with conditions to be outlined with the council’s Planning Manager and the Chair of the Planning Committee.