Go-ahead for reservoir to supply 20,000 Rotherham homes

PLANS for a 12 million-litre service reservoir on green belt land in Rotherham’s oldest park were narrowly passed by councillors.
Thursday's planning meeting at Rotherham Town HallThursday's planning meeting at Rotherham Town Hall
Thursday's planning meeting at Rotherham Town Hall

Yorkshire Water’s scheme will see a unit supplying 20,000 homes built next to its current site at Boston Park, Moorgate, thanks to a land-swap deal with the council.

Residents raised concerns about the increase in traffic on narrow Boston Castle Grove during the 18-month construction phase.

They also bemoaned the loss of the higher quality land, under the swap deal agreed by Rotherham Borough Council in 2016.

The authority’s planning board were split five votes for and five against at Thursday’s meeting in the town hall.

Chairman Cllr Alan Atkin held the casting vote — and went in favour of the reservoir development going ahead.

Objector Janet Worrall said residents who campaigned against the proposal were disappointed and would ensure Yorkshire Water sticks to the planning conditions.

The company must pay £30,000 for the council to produce a “playing pitch strategy” after it emerged during the planning process that RMBC’s is out of date.

This is in addition to a list of £228,800 park improvements also suggested by the council when the land-swap was confirmed.

A covenant from 1903 which said the site should only be used as a public park was dismissed by RMBC.

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