Action group planned to counter housing development proposals

The move follows a public meeting in Brampton Bierlow, attended by around 50 residents concerned at the prospect of potential new development.

In recent decades, around 2,500 new homes have gone up in the village, or areas immediately neighbouring the community, they believe.

Brampton Bierlow Parish Council has been involved in discussions which could result in land it owns off Milking Lane being sold for housing development.

Although the site is relatively small, it is significant because it could open up a larger area for housing, with developers Gleeson’s interested in developing homes there.

Initially, an offer of £85,000 was made to the parish council, but that has since been revised to £150,000, though another valuation for the site has yet to be returned, meaning its value could potentially change again.

New homes are currently being built off Pontefract Road and although the new proposal from Gleeson’s is for just over 100 homes, a previous and now lapsed planning permission for homes in the same area would have resulted in a much larger number.

The meeting was arranged by Denise Lelliott, a life-long Brampton resident.

Although she is a Rotherham Councillor, she stressed that she was acting only in her capacity as a resident and that she would not be leading the action group.

Instead, that would be done by other members of the community.

Denise stressed her concerns were not about the parish council, but about the prospect of more housing, without improved infrastructure.

“About 20 people put their names down to be on the action group. It is to be community-led, my only agenda is that I don’t want the development. We don’t have the infrastructure,” she said.

The parish council has seen the potential sale of the land as an opportunity to bring investment into to the village, which would pay for work needed on the parish hall, while leaving a surplus which could be used for the benefit of all residents.

Concerns raised at Sunday’s public meeting included the availability of school places and the added pressure on roads in the area.