Points Raised at Public Meeting

Keep It Green 2014

Consolidation of Comments Made at Public Meeting on 21 March 2014

1         Transport/infrastructure

1.1    Impact on eastern end of Hermit Lane and Church Street of new bypass.

1.2    Concern about increased traffic through/round the whole area, noting there are already grid-lock situations at times.

1.3    Church Street/Hermit Lane is already a rat run.  The impact on the junction with Redbrook Road/Intake Lane must be a serious concern.  Would this force more traffic on to Wharfedale Road?

1.4    Wharfedale Road is busy with school traffic already, including, and especially, pedestrian traffic.

1.5    Will the bypass really solve the HGV problem on Higham Common Road?

1.6    What would be the impact of new housing behind Wharfedale Road on Wharfedale Road and the junctions of Wharfedale Road with Farmhouse Lane/Pogmoor Road and Church Street?

1.7    How would provision for increased population be handled, eg schools/medical facilities?

1.8    Is the proposed link road going to be part of the Northern Orbital Route, ultimately connecting with Royston/Cudworth?

1.9    The new road layout adjacent to Capitol Park is already seen to be inadequate, with damage to traffic islands.  Would this area also need upgrading?

2         Waste of agricultural Land

2.1    This is productive agricultural land.  Destruction of which is contrary to UK’s need for self-sustainability.

3         Land Ownership/tenancies

3.1    Complex situation in terms of who owns/manages what and how that impacts on decision making.

3.2    Have past owners retained “ransom strips” and, if so, how may that affect proposals?

3.3    Do the people farming the land want to give it up?

4         Environment

4.1    Concern about the environmental impact of so much new development.

4.2    History of flooding at the bottom of Redbrook Road.

4.3    Concern about increased rate of run-off if land currently cultivated is changed for concrete and buildings, particularly at the low point of Hermit Lane.

4.4    Concern about increased noise levels from  the motorway, proposed bypass, site traffic and increase in local traffic.

4.5    What about the impact of past use of the land, eg opencast mining/backfill, tipping, methane drains?

5         Green Belt

5.1    Loss of Green Belt should not be contemplated whilst there is so much under-used brownfield land/under-occupied factory units.

6         Sustainability

6.1    There is plenty of evidence of businesses following special deals and moving on.   Would this be any different?  Is this really creating new jobs?

6.2    Are there any regulations preventing mixed industrial/domestic development?

6.3    Based on the speculative plans seen, perfectly adequate, recently built properties would have to be demolished.  How is this sustainable?

6.4    Why should Green Belt land be sacrificed when there is so much under-used brownfield land available?

6.5    Concern expressed about the sheer scale of the proposals, which would mean disruption, noise and pollution for years.

7         Organisational issues

7.1    Not enough information on the Sheffield City Region Investment Fund (SCRIF), in terms of content and programme, concept of GVA.

7.2    Were Dept. of Transport involved in the SCRIF schemes?

7.3    Was there a similar proposal involving Leeds City Region, of which Barnsley is also part?