Residents raise traffic and GP fears over plans for 100 homes near Rother Valley Country Park
The proposal would see 107 homes built on land off Mansfield Road in Aston
Plans for more than 100 new homes on farmland near Aston have been reccommended for approval, despite dozens of objections from residents and the parish council.
The proposal would see 107 homes built on land off Mansfield Road, south of the village, on a site currently used as a single agricultural field. The development includes a mix of two, three, and four-bedroom houses, alongside 12 bungalows, new roads, public open space and drainage infrastructure
Council planning officers are recommending the scheme for approval, subject to a legal agreement securing more than £600,000 funding for schools, GP surgery and bus stop improvements.
The development would sit between Mansfield Road and the A57, close to the existing industrial estate and overlooking Rother Valley Country Park.
Access to the site would be taken from Mansfield Road, with new internal roads and off-street parking for all properties.
Under the recommended Section 106 agreement, the developer would be required to contribute hundreds of thousands of pounds towards local services.
This includes £327,000 for secondary school places at Aston Academy, £104,000 towards additional consulting rooms at Swallownest Health Centre, funding for bus stop improvements, sustainable transport measures and sports pitch provision, as well as the long-term management of on-site green space.
Nine of the homes would be classed as affordable housing, including six bungalows.
Planning officers say the level of affordable housing is lower than council policy normally requires, but argue this is justified due to high development costs linked to the site’s sloping land and historic coal mining.
The plans have attracted more than 70 letters of objection, with residents raising concerns about traffic congestion, road safety, pressure on GP services and schools, flooding, and the loss of green space.
Several residents say Mansfield Road is already busy and fear the development would worsen congestion and increase the risk of accidents.
Aston Parish Council has also objected, describing the site as an “unsustainable greenfield site” and arguing that public transport and local infrastructure are already stretched.
Some residents have questioned whether enough consultation took place before the application was submitted.
Planning officers acknowledge the strength of feeling but conclude that the development is acceptable “on balance”.
They say traffic modelling shows nearby junctions would continue to operate within capacity, and that flood risk can be managed through drainage measures and raised floor levels.
While the site is allocated in the local plan for mixed housing and employment use, officers say evidence shows the land is not viable for industrial development due to steep slopes and ground conditions, and that there is already a surplus of employment land elsewhere in the borough.
They also point out that the council cannot currently demonstrate a five-year supply of housing land, which national planning policy says should weigh in favour of approving sustainable housing developments.
The application is being considered by the council’s Planning Board because of the number of objections received, and will be decided at its next meeting on February 26.