Sheffield executive homes plan for upmarket suburb rejected

The council’s planning committee (July 18) agreed to follow planning officers’ recommendation to reject proposals to build four large three-storey detached homes at the rear of homes in Brooklands Avenue, Ranmoor. Three of the five-bedroomed houses would have integral garages and the others would have separate garages.

The former tennis club land previously had one bungalow on it.

A previous plan was also rejected to build five houses. A report to the committee said that the developers were advised then that two to three homes would be more acceptable.

The report said: “Despite the mitigation measures put forward by the applicant (erection of acoustic fencing and additional planting along the boundaries), it is considered that the intensification of use of the site would have an unacceptable impact upon occupiers of neighbouring dwellings in terms of privacy when using their gardens, noise, light pollution and general disturbance.”

Anxious

In total, 31 people objected to the proposal and six supported it. Ward Coun Sue Alston said that anxious residents have been contacting her about housing development plans for the site since 2020.

She said the plan represents “a definite over-development of this site. It was previously one bungalow. The houses will be built completely next to the boundaries.”

Coun Alston said neighbours were worried about noise and light nuisance and vehicle movements, plus the possibility of multi-cars households parking on the street. She said that the access road to the site is narrow and cyclists and pedestrians using it would be unsafe.

“The fact that private collection of refuse is being considered probably says a lot about the access,” added Coun Alston.

Neighbour John Parker said he was mainly worried about parking, natural habitat loss and the precedent such a development could set in the local area.

He said: “Only one parking space each is not sustainable. The drive is 47 metres long. What will happen on Brooklands Avenue when one vehicle is trying to reverse on to the hill and there are other vehicles approaching?”

Neighbours

He was also worried at the size and prominence of the houses in relation to surrounding properties.

Developer James Hinchcliffe told the committee: “We want to live on this site. We want to try and work with our neighbours because we want to be one of those neighbours.”

He said they want to provide quality homes for people to bring up their families in. He said a lot of surrounding homes are extended up into their dormers to create more space.

Coun Mike Chaplin said: “There is no net gain in biodiversity on this site, which would become possible if the number of homes was reduced to three as officers recommend.

“I do think there are concerns about this long, narrow access route for people who will need to walk through, also the entrance with people coming and going.”

He added: “I am sure the applicant will come forward at a future time.”

The application was rejected due to an unacceptable degree of noise and light disturbance and a loss of amenity and privacy to adjacent properties and gardens, due to the development’s close proximity to them and intensified use of the narrow access.

Councillors added over-development to the reasons for refusal.

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