A campaign group ‘Hands off Our Greenbelt’ has been formed after the council’s plans were disclosed in April which would see the building 1638 new homes on two areas of greenbelt land in the S13 postcode.
One of the planned sites, off Bramley Lane, for 868 homes was not part of previous public consultations and residents have accused the authority of being ‘grossly unfair’ going against the Government's own planning policy which encourages open discussion on such developments.
The other proposed site is for 870 new homes on farmland off Finchwell Lane less than a mile away - and next to the new Waverley housing development.
This would mean almost half of the new housing stock (44%) on greenbelt land for the entire city would be built on the two sites in Handsworth and campaigners have accused the council of being totally unjust on the area - while more affluent parts of the city are relatively unscathed by the plans.
Clive Betts MP for Sheffield South East is supporting the campaign group and has arranged for a public meeting to take place at Handsworth Special Club on Friday (13) from 6.30pm for residents to discuss and ask questions about the sites and the process.
In a letter sent to residents this week he said: “While we all recognise we need to be building more houses, this number is far too high for one area.
“I am working with a residents campaign group to challenge this proposal at the public consultation. This is an opportunity to ensure your voices are heard when it comes to this unfair allocation of land being developed and the strain it will have on infrastructure and services. I am holding a public meeting on June 13 at Handsworth Social Club from 6.30pm and anyone who would like to attend just needs to register with my office by emailing officeofclivebettsmp@parliament.uk as numbers will be limited.”
Yesterday residents held the second of a drop in session at Handsworth Community Rooms to inform locals about the plans and how they can object. The group say they are forced to hold the sessions as the council have failed to consult fully with the community and campaigners have found many elderly residents unaware of the scheme.
A spokesperson for the group said: “We have been overwhelmed with support from the local community who are appalled at these plans and the lack of consultation over the schemes.
“We have had 10,000 leaflets printed off which locals have delivered in the Handsworth, Woodhouse and Richmond areas and we are holding more drop-in events to tell people about the plans. We have a website ‘Save S13 Greenbelt’ to keep people up to date on what is happening.”
The group said the two sites represent one of the largest Green Belt incursions in Sheffield’s history, permanently erasing countryside that buffers the communities of Handsworth, Richmond, Stradbroke and Woodhouse.
The additional housing would overwhelm local infrastructure that is already failing to meet demand, worsen long-standing traffic congestion on local roads and increase pollution and harm public health.
The scheme would place even more pressure on health services such as doctors and dentists where peopleálready struggle to get an appointment and also schools - all already stretched to breaking point which have faced additional pressure due to the major development of the Waverley community less than a mile away.
The Bramley site area is home to rich and diverse wildlife, including protected species such as bats, owls, newts, deer, hedgehogs, badgers, foxes and many bird species and forms part of a vital ecological corridor. One site directly borders the ancient bluebell woodland of Shirtcliff Woods meaning development here would not only destroy important habitats but also damage irreplaceable natural heritage.
They say the loss of these green spaces would further erode biodiversity, fragment habitats, and eliminate natural carbon sinks essential for air quality and climate regulation.
The ‘Save S13 Greenbelt’ group is also urging residents to submit an objection as part of the local plan consultation which runs until July 11.
The local plan - which is the blueprint for future development in the area - will then be considered by Government Planning Inspectors so it is vital residents ‘Have Their Say’. The best way to make your feelings known is online at https://haveyoursay.sheffield.gov.uk/sheffield-plan. You can also email sheffieldplan@sheffield.gov.uk.Or send a letter to: Strategic Planning Team, Planning Service, 5th Floor, Howden House, Sheffield S1 2SH.
The group has also raised £3,000 so far to support any legal action going forward with a GO Fund Me page. There is also a website here which details the plans and how you can support the fight - https://saves13greenbelt.org.uk/consultation