Concerns have been raised over hundreds of Derby homes being built before supporting infrastructure such as shops, services and bus routes. At a South Derbyshire District Council meeting last night (Tuesday, January 7), plans from JSC Farming and Central Land Holdings for 250 homes off Shardlow Road, close to the A6 Thulston Roundabout in Boulton Moor, were approved.
The applicants promise to build “high quality homes and affordable housing” in the area. The scheme represents the final batch of housing in a series of 2,600 homes which have been approved in Boulton Moor, creating a new Derby suburb.
Councillors were concerned that so many houses had already been built and occupied before construction had started on key supporting infrastructure, with only a primary school currently operational. Plans for supporting infrastructure including a transport hub, district centre of shops and restaurants, a petrol station, care home and a community building have all been approved.
A project, known as The Triangle, will contain a slew of sports facilities alongside the A6 to support the overall Boulton Moor development. This includes replacement allotments for those to be built on in the Shardlow Road site.
Councillors argued that the replacement allotments should be confirmed and in place before the existing lots are built on, and with reasonable time for tenants to move their supplies. Annah Swinscoe-Daniels, speaking on behalf of residents in Corinium Close, who said there was “grave concern” about the development.
The overall Boulton Moor development in Derby
(Image: Merlion Capital Corporation Limited)
She also said supplying new allotment space for people who had “spent time and energy toiling over that land” was no consolation. Ms Swinscoe-Daniels said there was also concern over increased congestion, noise and disturbance, along with “boggy gardens” and “poor build quality” in the newly built Boulton Moor homes.
Molly Huck, on behalf of the applicants, told the meeting that the scheme would provide “high quality homes and affordable housing” and that future development of the district centre, transport hub and replacement allotments would follow. Cllr Dan Corbin said: “Overall I have no real problem with it because it is in the Local Plan but there are already problems in the wider urban area.
“We have a very real problem of the loss of the allotments and we are approving more and more plans for homes without infrastructure. It just doesn’t seem to be coming forward. We need to see some push or some effort to bring forward that district centre.
“I have no faith that we will be seeing it any time soon. We have seen roads that are not built to withstand water and we could end up with a load of private roads.
The proposed Boulton Moor Phase 3 development off Shardlow Road in Derby, bordering the A6, marked in red
(Image: Merlion Capital Corporation Limited)
“We need to provide the infrastructure instead of allowing home after home after home.” Cllr Neil Atkin asked that the bus service to be provided by Derby City Council should be extended to Aston and Weston and ideally to Shardlow.
He said newly-built roads were also not wide enough for use by buses, with drivers often having to beep their horns to get residents to move their vehicles. Cllr Atkin said he also had concerns about the repeat of issues currently faced involving children kicking balls and throwing stones onto the A6 and A50.
Cllr Amy Wheelton said: “Shouldn’t we wait for this to be given until the residents get what they were promised when this was included in the Local Plan. I don’t want to give this and then residents don’t get what they were promised.”
Officers said a controlled pedestrian crossing would be installed on Shardlow Road, along with two other uncontrolled pedestrian crossing points, approved in a separate phase of the wider Boulton Moor development. Of the planned 250 homes, 75 would be classed as affordable housing.
Meanwhile, 30 two-bed bungalows would also be built as part of the scheme, along with 37 flats. A total of 17 residents have filed objections to the council over the plans, raising issues over the loss of the allotments, impact on wildlife, lack of shops, restaurants, bars, school spaces and GP surgery capacity, and an increase in noise and traffic.
Officials from Derbyshire County Council have requested £1,183,623 for the expansion of the newly built Clover Leys Spencer Academy, £2,130,995 for the anticipated Infinity Park Spencer Academy secondary school, £197,543 for special educational needs support for children, and £17,618 for library supplies. District council officials have requested £372 per person for open space improvements, £220 per person for outdoor facilities and £511 for health improvements.
Councillors approved the scheme by a vote of 12 in favour and one abstention.
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