New estate proposed in ‘chaotic area’ given a go-ahead in Wath

Rotherham Council’s planning board has heard how an applicant was aiming to create a new estate in a site that’s been empty for years in a busy neighbourhood.

The applicant proposed to build 29 new houses, including seven affordable housing units, on Oak Road, on the site of Oak Day Centre which shut in 2019. The application consists of the erection of 29 new dwellings with a mix of semi-detached and detached homes.

Robert Morrell, from Rotherham Council, confirmed that the site was “vacant” and the former care home had been demolished.

He added that the proposal includes allocated parking spaces and solar panels for all dwellings.

The seven affordable houses, which would sit on the north west corner of the new estate, are a mix of two-bed and three-bed properties, the planning board heard.

Mr Morrell said as per an s106 agreement, the applicant would pay £14,500 (£500/dwelling) towards “sustainable transport promotion” and £56,091 towards secondary education in Wath.

He said the scheme had received a total of 18 objections from residents.

He said: “Some of the concerns raised were related to the overdevelopment of the site.”

Mr Morrell said 14 trees would be removed during the development – not 24 as was originally planned.

The applicant told the planning board that the development was proposed on “a brownfield site” and added the site has been vacant since 2018 and the building was demolished four years ago.

They added: “This site is a variety in planning terms – it’s a brownfield site and a very highly sustainable location in a residential area.”

A local resident said the proposal was “inappropriate” as the area has already been “chaotic”.

The planning board granted permission by a six-to-one majority.