Plan to build new council houses in Doncaster village set to be approved

Doncaster Council housing officers have submitted a plan to build 21 council homes on land off Adwick Lane and Adwick Avenue, in Bentley.

All properties will be a mix of two and three-bedroomed units with double drives and electric vehicle charging points.

The council received four formal letters of objection from residents. Reasons for objection included traffic and parking issues, concerns over school places and that the development will be ‘out of character’.

At the last first planning committee meeting in August, Bentley councillor Bill Mordue urged members to visit the site before making a decision.

He added he had been contacted by a resident to say part of the land the council wishes to build on is owned by her and not the council.

Fellow Bentley councillor Charlie Hogarth raised concerns around the highway and said speeding cars could potentially be an issue at the junctions of any potential site.

The site is within Flood Risk Zone Three and has a recent history of flooding. Flood risk is said to be a ‘major constraint’ on the site and both the ‘sequential and exceptions tests must be passed’ before construction can begin.

Officers say there are ‘no other reasonably available sites’ in areas of a ‘lower probability’ of flooding.

The Environment Agency has raised no objection to the redevelopment of the site subject to a condition that finished floor levels are set at no less than five metres above ordnance maps.

The scheme proposes one access and egress point to the site on Adwick Lane.

If approved, the council will give Don Valley Academy £73,188 via a Section 106 Agreement to provide four school places.

Planning officers have recommended the plans be approved by councillors.

Planning officer Andrea Suddes, said: “The scheme will deliver much needed 100 per cent affordable housing for the borough which will help meet the social housing need of Toll Bar specifically by providing 21 affordable dwellings; and therefore is considered to be an acceptable and sustainable form of development.

“The properties all meet or exceed the Nationally Designed Space Standards set by Homes England and the council have secured a grant from Homes England towards the development.”

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