Almost 200 homes set to be approved for site in Rother Valley

The scheme, which is recommended for approval, will see 196 homes built on 10.16 hectares of land off Chapel Way and Lambrell Avenue, along with 439 parking spaces.

Access to the site will be taken from Lambrell Avenue and Chapel Way, and according to plans, the development will include 43 affordable homes.

Although the site has been allocated for 268 homes in the local plan, the number has been reduced in this application due to surface water flooding on part of the site.

Strata Homes will also build eight bungalows, 18 two-bedroom houses, 13 three-bedroom houses and four four-bedroom homes, all affordable housing.

The company will also contribute a total of more than £500,000 to benefit the community through S106 agreements.

This is made up of £384,422 towards secondary, special educational needs and disability, social, emotional and mental health education, £98,500 towards sustainable travel, and £30,000 to improve the play area at the Parish Council recreation ground off Wales Road.

Although objections have been lodged regarding traffic, an officer report to the planning board states:”there are no reasons to refuse planning permission from a highways perspective”.

Other objections have been lodged by members of the public, on the grounds of flooding, pollution, loss of wildlife, pressure on schools and GP surgeries, and road safety.

Rother Valley MP Alexander Stafford has also submitted an objection, stating: “Whilst the land has been approved by RMBC as suitable for housing, I will always maintain that it is a mistake to allow our beautiful green spaces to be concreted over whilst there are brownfield sites in the borough which should be prioritised first.”

He raised a number of issues brought to him by residents including inadequacy of public transport, recreational use of fields, and Impact on local services.

The development is recommended for approval at Rotherham’s next planning board meeting on June 10.

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