Rotherham green belt reservoir plans backed by planners

Yorkshire Water wants to build a unit to supply 20,000 homes on land next to its current site at Boston Park, Moorgate, under a land-swap deal with the council.

There have been 30 objections from residents who say the new reservoir will dominate the open greenspace and restrict options for sports and other events.

There are also concerns about the increase in traffic on narrow Boston Castle Grove during the 18-month construction phase.

Sport England initially opposed the plans over the loss of a potential playing field. 

Part of the proposed agreement will see Yorkshire Water give the council £30,000 to produce a “playing pitch strategy”.

This is in addition to a list of £228,800 improvements to the park to be paid by the utility firm, as suggested by the council when the land-swap was agreed in prinicple in 2016.

And a 1903 covenant which says the land should only be used for “the purpose of a public park” has been dismissed by the council.

A report said the document did not represent a material consideration for determining a planning application.

But objector Jonathan Platts, of Boston Castle Grove, said: “If the council’s planning department grants permission, they are fully breaching the covenant, even if they’re not the ones building there. 

“They inherited the park on the basis of it being kept as a park.”

There are currently two reservoirs used at the site, one built in 1908 — and since taken out of service — and the other being added in 1955.

This land will transfer to the council if permission is agreed at next Thursday’s planning board meeting at Rotherham Town Hall.