Plans for 60 new homes in Doncaster village recommended for approval despite objections from residents

Development firm Quod wants to build dozens of properties on former industrial land off Watch House Lane and Fairfield Road in Bentley.

The homes - a mix of 40 two-bedroom and 20 three-bedroom properties - will be constructed as part of a Build to Rent (BtR) scheme.

BtR units are purpose built housing that is typically 100 per cent rented. Schemes of this nature usually offer longer tenancy agreements of three years or more and will typically be professionally managed stock in single ownership and management control.

The proposals include new areas of public open space, focusing around a central area, providing informal amenity and a play area.

Planning officers would like the development to go ahead, but the application will be heard before the planning committee after being called in by Bentley Coun Jane Nightingale due to 30 objections submitted.

Mel Roberts, planning officer at DMBC, said: “Development of the site for residential is much more desirable than industrial when it comes to assessing the potential impact on the amenity of surrounding properties.”

Officers admit the scheme is not in line with the council’s Unitary Development Plan (UDC) currently used as a guide in relation to planning applications.

The application received 30 objections from residents close to the site but Quod bosses said a consultation exercise in September 2019 found 62 per cent of respondents were in favour of the development.

Some of the reasons for objection included Fairfield Road and Halifax Crescent act as a thoroughfare during peak traffic time, regularly used as a shortcut between Watch House Lane and York Road.

Others noted disruption during construction, recorded traffic accidents close by and ‘insufficient parking’ within the scheme.

One resident asked if any action would be taken against reported methane odour from the development site.

Doncaster North MP Ed Miliband has also sent a statement into the planning department that ‘concerns of constituents are taken into account’.

If approved, the developer will have to provide various sums of money under a Section 106 agreement.

These include £157,859 towards Scawthorpe Sunnyfields Primary School and £164,673 towards Don Valley Academy, totalling £322,532.

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