Hundreds sign petition against almost 100 new homes in Derbyshire

In October last year members of High Peak Borough Council’s Development and Control Committee went against officer recommendations and refused an application for Wain Homes to build 92 new properties on grassland at Dinting Vale, in Glossop.

The application site included 4.71 hectares of greenfield land, currently used for the grazing of horses, on the south side of the A57 next to existing dwellings, trails and woodland and near to Dinting Primary School and Dinting Church.

Although the traffic issues on the A57 were raised at the council meeting, the official reason for refusal was significant tree loss. Now Wain Homes have appealed the decision which has angered the community and a petition, which was only started last week, has already received more than 500 signatures.

Philip Miskell who launched the petition said: “The planned site access is dangerously close to Dinting Primary School, increasing the risk of children and parents coming into conflict with traffic. The proposed site does not include any affordable homes.”

It is believed the planning authority proposes to add on a further 30 plus properties to the development which must be affordable if the appeal is successful.

Philip said: “This lack of consideration for housing affordability exacerbates existing social inequality issues in our community. Additional residents will strain local medical facilities that are already under pressure.”He said the development ‘threatens local biodiversity’ by eliminating beneficial woodland.

A Wain Homes’ representative said it if the application is successful they intend to plant 191 new trees and would contribute £789,000 contribution to mitigate the impact of the development and this amount included a contribution towards any biodiversity losses.

Philip added: “We urge the planning inspectorate to refuse this development plan and prioritise safety, environmental sustainability and social equity over profit-driven motives. This is the last chance to fight the application, if the appeal is upheld, then expect years of traffic disruption on this section of the A57 during the construction phase and then for the life of the development.”

To sign the petition visit change.org/p/halt-wainhomes-development-a57-opposite-dinting-primary-school