Pictured Is Greenfield Land Earmarked For A Housing Scheme For 102 Homes Near Bevan Drive, At Inkersall, Near Staveley And Chesterfield,
Planners have given their seal of approval for an innovative, low carbon Derbyshire housing scheme for 102 properties on greenfield land after considering financial contributions from the developer towards infrastructure and a revised sustainability plan.
Chesterfield Borough Council’s planning committee endorsed its approval for Longrose Greentown Inkersall LLP’s planning application at a meeting, on October 20, for 102 homes with landscaping, infrastructure work, and new access arrangements on land to the west of Bevan Drive, at Inkersall, between Staveley and Chesterfield.
The committee had originally given the scheme planning permission in January subject to financial contributions from the developer towards infrastructure and on October 20 it accepted these are near completion.
It also accepted a revised sustainability plan after Longrose revealed that factory-constructed housing to be transported to the site was no longer feasible for the scheme but the developers are still going to be able to deliver the most energy-efficient A-rated properties.
A council spokesperson stated: “It is considered that as the revised sustainability statement still seeks to achieve A-rated homes without gas connection this is acceptable as an amendment to the original proposal.”
The planning committee accepted the developer’s Section 106 infrastructure plans to meet financial affordable housing arrangements and contributions, to contribute £102,000 to support an additional 255 NHS patients, and to make a £6,325 contribution for a Travel Plan Monitoring fee.
They also accepted the revised sustainability plan which includes superior fabric construction with renewable energy to reduce regulated energy demand by up to 70per cent, rooftop photovoltaic renewable energy, all-electric homes to reduce need for gas, and A-rated energy efficient homes.
Planners acknowledged that the scheme’s strong energy performance will reduce the annual-in-use carbon emissions compared to traditionally constructed homes under previous building regulations.
The committee previously considered some residents’ concerns among 20 submitted objections based on fears that the scheme will pose problems with increased traffic and parking.
Some also raised concerns about poor and narrow road conditions, the scheme’s impact on drainage, the loss of greenfield land and the potential strain on schools, GPs and dentists but there were no objections from the main statutory consultees including Derbyshire County Council’s highways authority.
Planners approved the scheme after hearing the planning officer’s recommendation to give the low-carbon housing scheme the go-ahead on the grounds that the benefits outweighed the potential harm to the character of the landscape and to the setting of listed building Ringwood Hall.
The development will be on a steep slope with access from Bevan Drive with plans for a play area next to the southerly woodland with a proposed substation to the south and it will incorporate two ponds as part of levelling works to the west of the housing.
Five different two-storey house types have been proposed as part of the scheme including 56 two-bedroom properties, 40 three-bedroom properties and six four-bedroom properties.
The planning committee considered that even though the scheme would mean an increase on the council’s current five-year Local Plan housing target this figure no longer reflected the actual current, increased need for housing.
Derbyshire County Council also stated the area’s primary and secondary schools will have sufficient capacity and its highways authority agreed the development will ‘not have an unacceptable highway safety impact or a severe residual cumulative impact on congestion’.
The NHS Integrated Care Board also welcomed a financial contribution from the developer that could be invested into enhancing capacity and infrastructure with the existing local General Practices.
Director Andrew Rouse, of Longrose, also offered assurances that he does not think flooding at the site will be a problem and the Mining Remediation Authority also raised no objections after an investigation established the development as safe and stable.
The planning committee granted approval for the scheme subject to the finalised S106 agreement, conditions including a Construction Environment Management Plan, a surface water drainage plan and checks, and a landscaping scheme and a legal agreement.
