Plan for more than 100 homes at former industrial site

More than 100 new homes could be built on a former industrial site that has been branded ‘a blight’ on the landscape.

Countryside Properties has lodged a planning applications for 54 houses and two blocks of 24 apartments at a 1.6 hectare site off Roch Street, in Smallbridge.

The houses would be in five styles, with 50 having three bedrooms and the rest having four, while the apartment blocks would be three-storey.

A design and access statement says the proposal will create a ‘safe and attractive neighbourhood which promotes the well-being of its residents.’

And it adds that the ‘high quality’ development will ‘maintain and enhance the key existing heritage and water features.’

The new homes are also said to have been designed with the character and pattern of the surrounding area in mind, with the different types of houses providing ‘added interest’ to the development.

The homes are described in the statement as ‘blending seamlessly with the adjoining residential estate.’

Countryside Properties says the roads and pavements have been designed to promote ease of movement and safety of traffic.

Occupants will have parking facilities, and a total of 156 spaces will be provided on site.

But there are fears that roads in the north east of the borough will not be able to cope with a significant number of new homes, as routes already suffer from heavy congestion at peak times.

The council has a duty to provide adequate land for future housing demand there is also a strong public desire to avoid building on green belt and green field sites.

Councillor John Blundell, ward councillor for Smallbridge and Firgrove, said this has to be brought into consideration.

He said: “That plot of land has been a blight on the area for a while. Residents have regularly contacted me to get it cleaned up and it’s been cleaned up a couple of times while I’ve been councillor.

“I think I would rather see it in use than not but access and traffic is an issue in the area and we need to get that right. If members of the public are concerned they know where to find me.

“We can’t talk about protecting the green belt and not develop brownfield sites such as this one.”

Councillor Daalat Ali, cabinet member for planning, development and housing, said the council was taking infrastructure demands into account as it plans for the future and ‘considering every eventuality.’

Nick Statham, Local Democracy Reporter