Residents have expressed concern over new housing plans for Grimesthorpe Road.
Redwall developments have submitted plans for 124 flats and 44 houses at the top of Smithies Field. The plans are due to be considered by the Council planning board in July.
The plans show flats with 8 levels. Half are small ‘studio’ flats, of less than 30 square metres. The rows of houses are up to five storeys and range from 4 to 8 bedrooms. There are no plans for any of the properties to be classed as ‘affordable’.
The development has been controversial from the start, with local residents complaining that Redwall destroyed the green space along Grimesthorpe Road and felled trees before submitting outline applications. The Council refused outline planning, but the decision was overturned in an appeal, with the inspector insisting the site was ‘brownfield’ (previously developed), that it had not returned to nature and could be used for residential development.
The new detailed plans show further trees will be felled. Of the 80 trees surveyed only 21 will remain. Tree Preservation Orders are in place for 27 of those due to be removed, but the developers state:
“the quality of the trees is not so great to warrant retention.”
Some residents have submitted objections to the plans, which include concerns about the number of properties, the height of the buildings and the pressure a high density development would put on local schools, services and roads.
Comments can be made on the Council website, the following links take you to each planning application. Further details are in the ‘Associated Documents’ section on each page.
08/01989/REM 124 apartments
08/01990/REM 20 houses
08/01999/REM 24 houses