Sheffield residents warn of traffic issues as hearings into greenbelt housing plans continue
Public hearings are being held over controversial plans to build on greenbelt sites around Sheffield
Last updated 1st Oct 2025
Sheffield residents and farmers have raised concerns to government Inspectors about the potential traffic impact of new Green Belt development proposals.
On the third day (October 1) of the Sheffield Local Plan hearing, discussions focused on how more than 600 homes, schools, and a cemetery could affect an already congested area between Grenoside and Ecclesfield.
During this morning’s session, Inspectors, council representatives, and campaigners examined the proposals concerning land south of Wheel Lane and the area between Creswick Avenue and Yew Lane.
Katie Child, one of the Inspectors, reminded the room that Sheffield City Council had put the site forward for 609 homes, four hectares of burial use, seven hectares of education use.
She also noted a working farm (Townend Farm) is currently operating on the site.
At first, questions around access arose.
John King, a principle planning officer from the council said subject to further assessment, “two points of access to the highway can be achieved off Creswick Lane”. Access off The Wheel will be more minor, the Inspector was told.
He added access through Yew Lane could also be achieved, however this is also subjected to further permissions as this would acquire access through the Yew Lane Field local wildlife site.
“So we’ve got access from east, west and the north”, he said.
Mr King told the Inspector that internal highway routes would avoid the wildlife sites but due to connectivity foot- and cyclepaths would be required.
Ms Child then asked how the council sees the increased traffic being dealt with in the area.
Mr King said a transport assessment assessed the impact of the proposed additional Green Belt sites.
He explained “no junctions in the immediate vicinity were identified as being severely affected in terms of increased congestion”. He added the nearest junction where mitigation will be required is in Oughtibridge.
Adele Riddle, the farmer at Townend Farm, said the traffic is so bad in the area – especially around schools during drop-off and pick-up times – they have to wait 10 minutes any time of the day with their tractor to go out.
She added if they went in the morning or in the afternoon when parents pick up their children, they would have to wait more than half an hour “wasting our time”.
Joseph Dunn, a resident on Wheel Lane, told the Inspector that the area is not just a “No-Go Zone” for tractors but for almost everyone due to the traffic. He added those who have made the assessment of the area may have done it from “a remote office”.
Dylan Arnold, a pupil from Yewlands Secondary School, reiterated how bad traffic is there as it is now.
He said: “Extra cars on Creswick Lane and surrounding areas will exacerbate the issue of traffic to much further extent.”
The hearing continues.
How can locals have a say?
The hearings are taking place between September 29 and October 2 at Sheffield Town Hall, mainly looking into the public response to the site allocations.
The next round of sessions will take place between October 13 and October 15 at The Showroom/Workstation.
Then sessions on the other aspects of the Sheffield Plan will be held in Howden House on October 16 and October 17. Thursday 16th and Friday 17th.
The third (and final) week of hearings, should they be required, has been scheduled for between November 17 and November 21.
It is reported that once all the hearings have concluded, the independent Inspectors will review the information they have been given and will compile a preliminary report of their findings.
The report could conclude that Sheffield’s Local Plan is sound and can continue or propose ‘main modifications’ that are needed to make the plan “sound”.
The Inspectors could also conclude that the plan is unsound and cannot be made sound through modifications, in which case the Sheffield Council would be asked to produce an entirely new plan.
If the Inspectors recommend main modifications, those modifications will be subject to further public consultation next year.