Ilkeston housing plans rejected after developer refuses to pay for school places

The Little Hallam Hill site would have become home to 26 affordable houses

Plans to build affordable homes on the outskirts of a Derbyshire town have been rejected because the developer refused to pay for new school spaces. An undisclosed developer has been refused permission for 26 affordable homes off Little Hallam Hill in Ilkeston, opposite the Ambivet vets, following an Erewash Borough Council meeting last night (September 18).

A total of 27 objection letters were submitted to the council over the plans due to road safety concerns on what is viewed as a notorious blind dip in the road and also a congestion hotspot. There were also concerns over pollution, wildlife and environmental impact, development of the space between Kirk Hallam and Ilkeston, flooding and the health and wellbeing of residents.

Bev Harrison, a member of the Kirk Hallam Green Squeeze campaign group, said: “At certain times of the day you would not see a square inch of space on that hill. It is just ludicrous. I consider the access a danger, downhill from a blind crest.

“It is one of the most congested areas in Ilkeston during rush hour and school times. There is a twice-daily exodus of students from this site travelling as far as Cotmanhay. There are students walking and people with buggies and it is just an accident waiting to happen. In a country devastated by ash dieback, it should be sacrilege to cut down healthy trees.”

Cllr Curtis Howard, the council’s lead member for town centres, regeneration and planning, said the authority was under pressure to deliver more houses. He said: “This is a very good opportunity to deliver more houses. 26 affordable homes is helpful when Erewash as a borough has a tragic track record of housing delivery targets. This has been failed every year for 13 years.”

Cllr Howard said the council’s annual housing target is to rise from 380 to 570. He said the borough saw 107 new homes built last year saying, “in Erewash we simply do not build houses”.

Cllr Howard said: “If 26 affordable houses are not accepted, why should anyone build houses here? We don’t want that precedent. It is likely that the developer will return with fewer houses, more expensive houses.” Steve Birkinshaw, the council’s head of planning, said the developer claimed they could not afford to pay the £117,288 owed for Section 106 payments for improvements to offset the scheme.

However, an independent assessment has found the developer would be able to afford the payments and still make an acceptable profit. The developer has said they would not pay the money owed for mitigation, if the scheme is approved, meaning money for four secondary school places would not be paid.

Cllr Mick Pace said: “I can’t believe how much we need housing and how little effort has been put into it. This developer is offering both housing and affordable housing at that. They are only refusing to pay for two (four) secondary school places.”

Cllr Ann Mills said: “It is completely perverse that a developer is building affordable houses and has to pay Section 106 when developers of a fast food restaurant do not.” Cllr Harry Atkinson, deputy mayor, said: “If we don’t make them pay this Section 106 the council council will be out £109,000 instead.

“It would set a dangerous precedent that we will give developers a free pass and build without contributing to mitigations. Contributing to infrastructure is needed more than housing. It is unacceptable.” A vote to see the plans approved was lost by four to six votes with two abstentions.

Meanwhile, a vote to reject the homes, in line with the recommendation from council officers, was won by a vote of seven votes for, four votes against and one abstention.

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