Objections and flooding concerns around plan to build 175 homes at former Doncaster Earth Centre car park

Residents from two nearby properties have opposed a scheme set out by Gleeson Homes to build scores of properties on the former Earth Centre car park in Denaby Main. 

Conisbrough Coun Nigel Ball, who represents the ward in which the development sits, also raised issues around flooding and called the application to be discussed by elected members on the planning committee.  

Council planning chiefs are recommending that councillors grant the application subject to Gleeson Homes paying Section 106 money. 

An agreement has been reached with Gleeson Homes who will provide around £140,000 for affordable housing in return for planning approval. 

An identical application was approved in 2015 and is already under construction. But changes have been made to the land levels on some properties. 

The site was historically occupied by a glass works and colliery and later occupied by a tarmac surfaced car park associated with the adjacent public funded '˜white-elephant' Earth Centre.

This land use ended when the centre closed in 2004 and the site was later cleared.

One resident said they were objecting due to previous flooding incidents along with concerns around run-off surface water from the new gardens on the raised land. 

Another resident said the properties would overlook their own and large vehicles would not be able to access the '˜narrow roads'. 

The Environment Agency has raised no objections subject to a condition that the development is carried out '˜in accordance with the Flood Risk Assessment'.

Yorkshire Water and the council's drainage officer also raised no objections to the plan. 

Doncaster Council planning officer Mel Roberts said: 'This application is identical to the one currently being constructed apart from a change in land levels brought about by technical requirements of the layout of the development.

'All issues are the same as those deemed to be acceptable and the only consideration under this application is whether the change on land levels brings about other relevant planning issues. 

'The report shows that there will be no impact on the character of the area given the slight changes in levels and the fact that the site is well screened and bound by the railway line to the south and river to the north.

'There will be no unacceptable harm to residential amenity through overlooking, as the separation distances exceed those normally required. There will also be no issues of flooding to nearby homes because the rear gardens are relatively flat with drains provided and by their very nature of being landscaped will ensure that there is no surface water run-off.'