Lydgate reservoir ‘no longer available’ for housing

A confidential report leaked to The Star has revealed that Lydgate reservoir is no longer being considered by Yorkshire Water as a site for housing.

Although 900 new homes are planned for other locations, The Star report confirms:

Three proposed sites, two in Crookes and one in Tinsley, have been withdrawn, and three others are to have fewer homes than suggested.

Hadfield and Lydgate reservoirs in Crookes, where 60 homes were proposed, are no longer available – Yorkshire Water wants to keep them in use.

Read the full report on The Star website

Local reservoir sites earmarked for new housing: update

Earlier this year local people had real concerns about proposals to allocate green field sites in the Crookes area for new housing. Two of the sites mentioned were Hadfield Reservoir (behind School Road) and Lydgate Reservoir (off Evelyn Road).

The council has now dropped plans to use the Hadfield site for new houses but the Lydgate site has not been ruled out and remains under consideration. Yorkshire Water has confirmed that they are “undertaking further investigations” at the Lydgate site.

However the council has said in a statement that “to provide advice on the archaeological value and ecological value of the site, an ecological assessment and a desk based archaeological assessment is being carried out.”

Although the council hasn’t made up its mind yet, ostensibly the usually purpose of investigations like these are to see whether a site is suitable for development.

Local residents are concerned at the prospect of losing yet another green and open space and worried about the possible knock-on effect new housing will have on traffic, road safety and local schools.

If you have anxieties regarding this or any other matters, please don’t hesitate to contact your local councillors Sylvia Anginotti, Geoff Smith and Rob Frost.

Contact details for Crookes ward councillors

Lydgate Reservoir housing plans in doubt

Plans to build new homes on the site of Lydgate Reservoir on Evelyn Road are in doubt following a statement from Yorkshire Water.

The information posted by Yorkshire Water’s Land Use Planning Manager on the consultation website reads:

I have now been informed by my operational colleagues that they are undertaking further investigations with regard to our distribution network in the area. Because of this I am not satisfied that there is in fact a “reasonable prospect” of the site coming forward within the plan period. I would therefore like to withdraw the site at least until our investigations are complete.

I am hopeful that we will have more certainty by the representations stage of the Publication Version and if in fact the site does prove to be surplus to operational use I will then ask for it to be included.

The site was one of 18 in Sheffield earmarked as part of a strategy to build 1,110 new homes.

Local sites earmarked for new houses – Crosspool meeting scheduled

Sheffield council has outlined plans to build new homes on Lydgate Reservoir on Evelyn Road, Hadfield Service Reservoir in Crookes and Canterbury Crescent, Fulwood in order to meet government housing targets.

The Lydgate Reservoir land is located at the end of the Evelyn Road cul-de-sac. It is thought that once the reservoir has been decommissioned, Yorkshire Water will market the site after 2017 or 2022.

The council is asking for residents and businesses to comment on the potential new housing plans between 16 January and 27 February 2012.

A drop-in session with Area Planner Sarah Smith has been called at Stephen Hill Methodist Church for Thursday February 2, from 3-8pm. If you have any questions about the consultation, please telephone the Sheffield Development Framework Consultation team on 0114 205 3075.

More information about the plans and consultation

One Evelyn Road resident, David Smithson, said: “If this pleasant and quiet dead end were to be the sole access to this site, the prospects of an unacceptable increase in traffic and the resultant noise pollution would have detrimental consequence on me and my neighbours’ health and wellbeing. 20 dwellings would probably mean 30 or more cars added to usage of the road.”

The sites are three of 18 in Sheffield earmarked as part of a strategy to build 1,110 new homes.