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07
May
2026
Friends of the Loxley Valley object to Hepworth site planning application

Friends of the Loxley Valley object to Hepworth site planning application

Friends of the Loxley Valley have today submitted an objection to the current planning application to build 73 houses on the old Hepworth factory site in the valley bottom.

We recognise that Sky-House are attempting to deliver an environmentally friendly scheme in keeping with the exceptionally sensitive site. We met them several times to be appraised of their thinking before they submitted the planning application.

But we have concerns and questions. We are not yet convinced that the scheme will adequately safeguard its Green Belt riverside setting, which is surrounded by mature woodland and a Local Wildlife Site.

Our concerns are set out in a detailed set of comments that we have submitted to the Sheffield City Council planning officer who is assessing the planning application.

You can read the planning application and our response on the city council planning portal website – the planning application reference number is 26/00453/FUL. You can also download our document here.

Why we are raising concerns

The new planning application is much more modest than the 300-dwelling suburban housing estate that was rejected by a Planning Inspector five years ago.

But we need to be convinced that it overcomes the Inspector’s main concerns, i.e. that it will not harm sensitive Green Belt countryside, that it will safeguard biodiversity and wildlife, and that it will address the remote and inherently unsustainable location.

Sky-House say they can achieve these goals. But our detailed reading of the many planning application documents has left us with concerns and unresolved questions.

We have told the planning officer that we do not feel able to support the scheme unless these concerns are resolved.

Key areas of concern and uncertainty are as follows:

  • We would welcome convincing evidence that the development will not harm the Green Belt by encroaching into the countryside. Although the development has fewer buildings than last time, it will still sprawl over a wide area of the valley and be closely adjacent to the river.
  • The new homes will be set in areas of private leasehold woodland. The planning application says there will be strict conditions to prevent residents developing these areas. But it is not clear how these will work, or how they will be enforced. These private areas would run along the whole riverside. They appear to be at odds with the need for a riverside “buffer zone” for wildlife.
  • The site is not in a sustainable location. It is remote from local settlements and services. Public transport is poor, and routes for walking or cycling are long, steep, and on 60mph roads. We feel the planning application needs convincing measures to address these shortcomings.
  • The planning application proposes a shop, café, floodlit padel court, and an unspecified number of riverside parks and picnic areas. Such things would attract traffic and visitor numbers. We worry that they would be at odds with keeping the riverside quiet and undisturbed for wildlife.
  • We have the same concerns about light disturbance from cars, streetlights and large glazed windows. The planning application proposes mitigation measures, but we feel these lack detail.

The above is of necessity a very condensed summary of these points. Please do refer to our full document if you would like to know more.

We have said in our objection that we would be prepared to reconsider our position if our concerns are addressed before the council reaches a decision on the planning application.

Who else is raising concerns?

Regrettably, FoLV is not the only organisation that is not yet convinced by the scheme.

The Sheffield and Rotherham Wildlife Trust and the South Yorkshire Bat Group have both submitted objections.

They say that the planning application is not supported by adequate assessments of biodiversity and wildlife, and that it will cause ecological harm. FoLV does not have their expertise, but we share their view that effective safeguards are paramount.

The Environment Agency has also tabled a detailed objection raising concern about loss of biodiversity. It also requires changes to flood control measures and how the River Loxley flows through the site.

What happens next?

The city council planning officer must now assess all comments that have been submitted about the scheme – for and against.

We would expect the officer to then draw up a report summarising the pros and cons, and to recommend whether councillors on the planning committee should approve or reject it.

Friends of the Loxley Valley chairperson Joanne Lee said the FoLV committee have worked hard to scrutinise the application in detail.

“We have shared with members our reading of the extensive documentation uploaded to the Planning Portal and we have sought their views at a members’ meeting,” said Jo.

“The position we have arrived at is also informed by discussion with local people and key organisations.

“We recognise that this is a complex application which the developers intend to be exemplary. At this time, the evidence in the documentation leaves questions about the measures they say will prevent harm to this very special place.

“As a Friends group, we take very seriously our aim to help care for the Loxley valley and when necessary to protect and defend it. We hope that the points we have raised in our objection will be taken account of by the planning officer and that they will press the applicant to address the areas of significant concern.”

  • If you wish to discuss the planning application with FoLV, please email us at info@friendsoftheloxleyvalley.com
  • You also have the right to submit your own comments to the city council planning department (planning application reference number is 26/00453/FUL). The official deadline for doing this is now Friday, May 15th, although comments can be submitted at any time before the planning application is determined. 

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27
Apr
2026
New heritage and nature signs in the Loxley valley

New heritage and nature signs in the Loxley valley

Friends of the Loxley Valley are celebrating the installation of new heritage and nature signs along the valley bottom footpath between Malin Bridge and Rowell Bridge.

We’ve put up interpretation boards at key points on the path so that people can learn more about the water power remains and nature along the valley.

The signs feature maps of the footpath. And they have photos and artwork of the wildlife and heritage you’ll see as you wander along the river.

We’ve placed them next to the river by the Lidl supermarket, at the start of the footpath near Malin Bridge, and at Rowell Bridge.

We’ve also put up four posts marking the remains of historic industrial sites along the path. QR codes on the signs and posts link to the “Water Power” pages on this website, where you can learn more about the heritage sites and view old photographs of them.

How we created the signs

The beautiful signs have been created by local graphic designer Anna Pethven. They include some of her own drawings of wildlife and plants.

We also had invaluable help from the Sheffield and Rotherham Wildlife Trust, and from the Rivelin Valley Conservation Group who inspired us with the signage they’ve put up along the River Rivelin.

Funding came from generous grants from the Bradfield Parish Council Participatory Budget and from the Sheffield City Council North Local Area Committee, plus a contribution from Friends of the Loxley Valley members.

We’d also like to thank the Bradfield Parish Council archivist Malcolm Nunn for sharing his encyclopaedic knowledge and photographic archives.

Thanks too to Tony Ball of the South Yorkshire Industrial History Society for his kind permission to reproduce images and photos from their excellent book on the history of Sheffield water power.

The idea for the signs came from a talk at the FoLV AGM by local history author Peter Machan. Peter wondered why there were no information boards in the valley to enlighten visitors about its fascinating history. Thank you for getting us moving Peter!

We hope that you like the signs and the web pages, and that you find them interesting and useful.

The photograph at the top of this page is of the new sign at Rowell Bridge, with some of the people who made it happen. From left to right are Elesha Searles of the Sheffield and Rotherham Wildlife Trust, Nick Blaney and Diana Conheeney from Friends of the Loxley Valley, and Bradfield parish councillors Tom Vickers and David Chinchen.

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08
Feb
2026
Friends of the Loxley Valley statement on Hepworth site planning application

Friends of the Loxley Valley statement on Hepworth site planning application

The Sheffield house building company Sky-House Co has submitted a detailed planning application to redevelop the abandoned old factory buildings in the Loxley valley.

Sky-House propose to build 73 new homes on the old Hepworth refractory site in what has been described as a £43m “eco development”, (as reported by Sheffield Star).

Their planning application was submitted in early February, but its complexity means it has taken over a month for planners to “validate” it and place it on the city council planning website.

It can now be viewed on the Sheffield City Council online planning portal, where you can also post comments to say what you think of it.

You can view it by searching for planning application reference number 26/00453/FUL

In the application, Sky-House say their vision for the site is to create “an exemplary residential community that not only respects the unique character of the valley but also contributes positively to the environment”.

The application is made up of over 100 documents including many detailed surveys and technical assessments.

Friends of the Loxley Valley will now study it carefully to see if it meets planning policy and whether it protects the special character of this sensitive Green Belt location.

We will consult our members and other interested organisations before coming to a view about the proposal.

Sky-House have told us that they have held extensive “pre-application” discussions with Sheffield City Council. They say the council have agreed to determine the application within six months of its submission.

What is the background to this new planning application?

Previous proposals for a much larger development of 300 houses were rejected by Sheffield City Council. They were subsequently rejected by a planning inspector who listened carefully to all the arguments.

The inspector held a five-day planning inquiry. Afterwards, he ruled that the Loxley valley was an important tranquil green corridor that needed safeguarding from urbanisation.

He said a large suburban housing project would alter the valley’s special character and encroach into the countryside.

He was concerned that a large development could harm wildlife and biodiversity.

And he said the site was too remote from local services like shops and schools to be sustainable.

Friends of the Loxley Valley took part in the planning inquiry alongside the environmental charity CPRE Peak District and South Yorkshire (CPRE PDSY). South Yorkshire Bat Group also took part in the enquiry, and other local people and organisations including Hallamshire Historic Buildings gave evidence.

Friends of the Loxley Valley contact with Sky-House

FoLV and CPRE PDSY have met Sky-House several times before the submission of this new planning application, to learn more about their plans. FoLV also organised a meeting for the developers to explain their emerging plans to our members and to answer questions.

We have reminded Sky-House that the last planning application produced around 1,000 objections. It was opposed by local councillors from all the main parties, and by numerous local groups.

We urged Sky-House to consult extensively before submitting the new planning application

FoLV and CPRE PDSY wrote to them some time ago to remind them of the key points of the inspector’s ruling, and of the site’s exceptionally sensitive location. It is surrounded by a Local Wildlife Site and on the very edge of the Peak District National Park.

We urged Sky-House to set aside as much of the site as possible for nature in their planning application. We also said they should ensure that development is kept well clear of the green corridor alongside the River Loxley, which is so important for wildlife and biodiversity.

What happens now?

We will now study the planning application carefully to see if it meets these standards.

Friends of the Loxley Valley recognise that Sky-House are trying to find a viable way of cleaning up the old factories without harming the beautiful local countryside and its thriving wildlife.

They say they want to deliver an exemplary scheme that Sheffield can be proud of.

We hope they can achieve this, but we should remember that the bar is set high.

We will not rush to judgement. If it is approved, this development will affect the character of the Loxley valley for years to come. We think local people will want to be convinced that it gets the balance right.

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15
Jan
2026
Friends of the Loxley Valley raise concerns over possible release of Green Belt fields for housing

Friends of the Loxley Valley raise concerns over possible release of Green Belt fields for housing

Friends of the Loxley Valley have raised concerns about the possible removal from the Green Belt of three fields off France Road in Loxley.

FoLV have written to planning officers to say that the land is part of locally valued open countryside. It forms part of the landscape between the edge of the city and the boundary of the Peak District National Park.

The fields lie at the very edge of the built-up area, next to the junction of France Road and Archer Gate. They are alongside the historic bridleway leading onto Loxley and Wadsley Common.

What is the current status of this land?

The fields are currently in the Green Belt, meaning they are protected from development. But they have appeared on a list of possible additional housing sites that was made public late last year as part of the long running Sheffield Local Plan examination process.

Documentation placed on the Local Plan examination website (document “EXAM 130B”) says that planners estimate the France Road fields could accommodate up to 175 houses.

Sheffield City Council is stressing that none of the sites on the list is being put forward for housing at this stage.

The council says the land off France Road was submitted as a possible housing site after the consultation over the release of Green Belt land for the Local Plan was already underway. It was not taken forward as a housing site because the deadline for consideration had passed.

There has since been a public outcry over many of the sites that have been put forward. The planning inspectors overseeing the examination process have been pressed by local communities to reject some of them.

This has led to media speculation that the inspectors may choose sites such as France Road as alternative housing sites, as the council struggles to meet its targets for building new homes.

How have Friends of the Loxley Valley responded?

FoLV have written to the planners to voice concern about the confusion and lack of clarity surrounding this process.

We have urged the fullest possible public consultation if the fields off France Road are to be earmarked for houses after all. We think it is important that local people should be able to carefully consider all the arguments for and against, and to make their views known to the planners.

We have suggested the following should be important considerations:

  • If houses were built on this site, Sheffield would increase its urban sprawl and extend further into open countryside, which goes against the statutory purposes of the Green Belt.
  • The new estate would be built precisely where people have access to that countryside via the Archer Gate Open Space and the bridleway next to it. The council acknowledges that this landscape “has low capacity for absorbing development”.
  • The council acknowledges that building houses on the fields would mean the loss of productive agricultural land, and that it could “impact the viability of an agricultural unit”.
  • Building 175 houses on the fields would almost double the size of the neighbouring estate, leading to many extra vehicle movements on quiet residential streets. It would be vital to have a detailed assessment of how this could be achieved viably and safely.

We are now waiting for the planning inspectors to release their report at the end of the latest Local Plan examination process. We hope things may then become clearer.

We will post an update once we know more. In the meantime, please click here if you would like to read our full representation to the planners.

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23
Apr
2025
Friends of the Loxley Valley help Yorkshire Water to grow new trees

Friends of the Loxley Valley help Yorkshire Water to grow new trees

Friends of the Loxley Valley are doing some more environmental stewardship work with Yorkshire Water’s countryside rangers, on their Rickett Bank woodland site at Damflask.

Yorkshire Water have felled mature conifer trees over the last few years and replaced them with native hardwood trees like oak and beech. They hope to get the woods alongside Ughill Brook closer to their natural state.

The little saplings have spent their first few years growing inside plastic tree guards to protect them from damage. But they’ve now outgrown the guards and they need removing.

We’ve agreed to help the Yorkshire Water team to do this. Our volunteers will be there with them for a couple of hours from 10am until about 3pm on Monday, April 28th. Anyone else who’d like to join in is very welcome, and we don’t expect you to stay for the whole five hours if you have other commitments. Please email our committee member Nick Blaney at nicbla62@gmail.com if you’d like to come along.

You’ll need stout footwear suitable for a muddy path, and clothing to suit the weather on the day. Yorkshire Water will provide supervision and any other equipment needed. If you plan to do the full five hours, we’d recommend bringing refreshments and a packed lunch.

The session follows recent work that we’ve been doing with Yorkshire Water to keep their permissive path tidy and clear of obstruction. We’d like to think that we’re helping to make a difference to this lovely little woodland valley.

More detail here in our earlier web post when we started getting the work underway: https://friendsoftheloxleyvalley.com/2025/02/26/friends-of-the-loxley-valley-help-yorkshire-water-to-clear-overgrown-footpath/

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26
Feb
2025
Friends of the Loxley Valley help Yorkshire Water to clear overgrown footpath

Friends of the Loxley Valley help Yorkshire Water to clear overgrown footpath

PLEASE NOTE: the date for our next work session with Yorkshire Water is now Thursday, March 13th. Please see details at the end of this post.

Friends of the Loxley Valley volunteers are helping Yorkshire Water to clear a badly overgrown footpath at Damflask.

Gorse, brambles and young self-set trees have been pushing their way across the permissive path at Rickett Bank.

The path threads its way along the banks of the beautiful Ughill Brook where it flows into the south west tip of Damflask reservoir at the bottom of Oaks Lane.

But the rampant vegetation was making it hard to walk along without stumbling on trip hazards and blockages.

So Friends of the Loxley Valley have helped Yorkshire Water’s rangers to hack back the jungle and make the path easier to access.

Why did Friends of the Loxley Valley decide to help?

We stepped in after our committee member Nick Blaney alerted the ranger team to the poor state of the path.

“It’s a beautiful little valley, and the Yorkshire Water path connects to public rights of way that go deeper along it,” said Nick.

“It seemed such a shame that it was getting so hard to walk along.

“I asked Yorkshire Water if they could do anything about it, and I also said we could chip in a bit of elbow grease if needed.”

Yorkshire Water own the land on both sides of the path. It’s an ancient woodland site, but until recently it was becoming dominated by conifers that had been planted for their timber.

They’ve now mostly been felled and replaced by young native hardwood trees, in an effort by Yorkshire Water to produce a more diverse ecosystem.

They say they’d welcome community involvement as they try to draw up a management plan to look after the woods and the path that runs through them.

We’ve pencilled in another footpath maintenance session as a first step towards this. It’ll take place at 10am on Monday 10th March , when we hope to do more work to improve the path. All welcome. (N.B. this date has now changed to Thursday 13th March – please message Nick Blaney on Facebook if you’d like to come along).

Photo of overgrown gorse bushes pushing across the path

Before and after. Here’s a badly overgrown stretch of the path, where prickly gorse bushes were blocking the way…

Continue reading →

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29
Nov
2024
Friends of the Loxley Valley receive Bradfield Parish Council grant

Friends of the Loxley Valley receive Bradfield Parish Council grant

Friends of the Loxley Valley are delighted to have received a grant of £4,478 from Bradfield Parish Council to help tell the story of the valley’s water power heritage.

The grant means we can start to put up interpretation boards and finger posts along the valley.

We hope they’ll help to increase awareness of the historic water wheel sites that thread all the way along it.

The signs will also showcase the beautiful landscape along the valley. And they will tell how nature has threaded through the old water power remains to create outstanding habitat for wildlife.

Bradfield Parish Council chairperson Penny Baker presented the generous grant cheque to FoLV committee members David Holmes and Diana Conheeney. The presentation took place before the council’s November meeting in the council chamber at Low Bradfield.

The award follows our successful presentation to the council’s first public “participatory budget meeting” at Worrall Memorial Hall in October.

The meeting was open to everyone who lives in the parish. Local groups made presentations, and parishioners then ranked the bids to decide which groups would receive grants.

The grants came from funds set aside for community projects.

Friends of the Loxley Valley would like to thank everyone who voted for our bid. The standard of all the bids was very high, and it is humbling to know that we have succeeded.

The other successful bidders were Friends of Glen Howe Park, Dungworth Village Hall, Bradfield Dungworth School PFA, Oughtibridge Millennium Garden, Oughtibridge War Memorial Sports Club, and Friends of Stoneface Creative.

We’d like to congratulate them all, and offer our commiserations to the groups who didn’t succeed this time round.

We’ll now start work to research, design and erect the Loxley Valley signs. We look forward to reporting back as things progress.

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20
Oct
2024
How we hope to tell the Loxley valley water power story

How we hope to tell the Loxley valley water power story

Friends of the Loxley Valley hope to win funding from Bradfield Parish Council to help tell the story of the valley’s fascinating water power heritage.

We plan to put up interpretation boards and finger posts in the valley to increase awareness of the historic water wheel sites that thread all the way along it.

The signs will also showcase the beautiful landscape along the valley. And they will tell how nature has threaded through the old water power remains to create outstanding habitat for wildlife.

They will also feature “QR codes” linking to multimedia online materials that will tell the story in greater detail.

We’ve asked for £4,500 for the project from “participatory budget” funds that Bradfield Parish Council has set aside for community initiatives.

The winning bids will be decided by a vote of parishioners who attend an open public meeting. This is at Worrall Memorial Hall on Thursday 24th October.

All the organisations who’ve made funding bids will make presentations at the meeting. And people who go along will have chance to ask questions before they cast their votes.

The meeting runs from 6pm to 8.30pm.

We’re urging Friends of the Loxley members and supporters to go along and support us on the night!

Thank you so much if you’re able to make it.

What’s special about water power in the Loxley valley?

The old water wheel sites in fast-flowing rivers like the Loxley and Rivelin played a vital role in Sheffield’s industrial history.

Weirs across the rivers harnessed the water for numerous grinding shops and forges. They were packed all the way along the valleys.

Many of the water power sites in the Loxley were rebuilt after the tragic Sheffield Flood of 1864, using updated engineering techniques. They now complement the earlier, smaller water wheel sites in the Rivelin.

Taken together, the two valleys contain a set of water power remains of international historical significance. Several of the Loxley valley sites contain listed buildings. The Little Matlock water power system is also a Scheduled Ancient Monument.

All the water power sites in both valleys also feature on the South Yorkshire Local Heritage List, following our successful bid last year.

Why do we need signage in the Loxley valley?

Sadly the Loxley lags some way behind the Rivelin. There’s no signage on the ground to tell the valley’s story.

The Rivelin Valley Conservation Group have worked hard to put up interpretation boards and finger posts explaining the rich industrial heritage.

We think this literally signposts why the Rivelin valley is special. And we think it helps to express local pride and sense of place.

We’d like to learn from their success and do something similar.

Joined up Heritage Sheffield are backing our funding bid. They’ve sent us a letter of support.

They say readily accessible information is important to help people to understand and celebrate Sheffield’s heritage.

Now we need your support too! Please vote for us on Thursday evening if you can.

  • A reminder: the participatory budget meeting is at Worrall Memorial Hall on Towngate Road, from 6pm to 8.30pm on Thursday, 24th October. You must live in the Bradfield Parish Council area if you wish to go along and vote.
Photo of a Rivelin valley interpretion board

We’ve drawn inspiration from signs and finger posts along the neighbouring Rivelin valley.

Photo of a Rivelin valley finger post
These posts in the Rivelin valley include QR codes that take people online for more detail about water power history.

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05
Jul
2024
Friends of the Loxley Valley aim to beat Himalayan Balsam

Friends of the Loxley Valley aim to beat Himalayan Balsam

Friends of the Loxley Valley are appealing for help to beat back the rapidly spreading Himalayan Balsam that is threatening to dominate parts of the local riverside landscape.

We’re asking you to let us know if you spot the invasive plant taking a toehold in the valley. This will help us to organise “balsam bashing” sessions to stop it getting out of control.

We hope to remove as much of the balsam as we can. This will help to stop it becoming dominant and stifling native plants along the Loxley valley. But we need your help to do it!

What is Himalayan Balsam?

Himalayan Balsam, or Indian Balsam, is a non-native plant that was introduced to the UK about 200 years ago.

It’s also sometimes known as “jumping jack”. This is because of its explosive seed pods that can fire seeds up to seven metres from the parent plant.

Each of these plants can be between 6ft and 10ft tall. And each plant can produce up to 800 seeds! Seedlings start growing rapidly from early May and flower in late August or early September before the seed pods develop.

Its tall canopy blocks out light, stifling smaller native plants.

Bees and other pollinators are attracted to balsam blossom in preference to other flowers. This reduces plant diversity and ultimately affects the food chain for local wildlife.

Balsam also alters soil conditions. It’s shallow rooted, and once it dies back there’s less root matter to bind the soil. This increases the risk of erosion and the silting of watercourses.

And it blocks access to paths and waterways, costing time and money to clear it from affected areas.

Small wonder that it’s an offence under the Wildlife and Countryside Act to plant or cause balsam to grow in the wild.

How can we tackle Himalayan Balsam in the Loxley valley?

Photo of Himalayan Balsam growing in the Loxley valley

Himalayan Balsam growing in the Acorn Hill woods near Low Matlock.

Balsam is now prevalent along the River Don. It’s spreading rapidly as the climate gets warmer and wetter. And it’s gaining a hold in tributaries such as the Loxley and Rivelin. It spreads downstream.

We need your help to identify places where Himalayan Balsam is growing in the Loxley valley.

Once we know where it is, we hope to undertake “balsam bashing” sessions in August and early September before it sets seed. We may also do a few trial runs at other times of year.

We hope to work with Riverlution and the Don Catchment River Trust who can provide equipment, expertise and skills to tackle more inaccessible areas.

In the short term – before the end of July – if you spot any please note the location and let Nick Blaney, who is a FoLV member and is coordinating the survey, know on nicbla62@gmail.com.

Ideally we need either an Ordnance Survey grid reference or a what3words location. If you have a smartphone, OSLocate is a great piece of free software and of course there is the what3words app. If you can, please also take a picture.

How can I identify Himalayan Balsam in the Loxley valley?

You can identify it very easily in the flowering season from its bright pink or purple flowers.

But it’s also very distinctive during the growing season with its large serrated leaves that grow at right angles to the leaves above and below them.

It can grow between 6ft and 10ft tall. See pictures of both states at the bottom of this post. There is also a great video to help identification on youtube.

If you feel it is safe to do so and you are confident in your identification, you can remove balsam yourself. Pull from the base to get the shallow roots out of the ground, snap the stalk between the roots and the first node, and leave the plants in a dry space, well above the waterline and potential high water level. Please do not leave on the footpath itself though.

Please still take photos before and after, and let us know the location via the email address above.

Thanks very much for your help in this!

Photo of Himalayan Balsam flower

Himalayan Balsam in flower

Photo of Himalayan Balsam leaves
Himalayan Balsam leaves
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06
Mar
2024
Sheffield-based housing company unveils new plans for 60 homes on the old Hepworth factory site

Sheffield-based housing company unveils new plans for 60 homes on the old Hepworth factory site

The Sheffield-based housing company Sky-House has launched new plans for the regeneration and redevelopment of the redundant Hepworth factory site in the Loxley valley.

Sky-House propose to build around 60 single-storey dwellings in a way that cleans up the largely derelict site.

They claim this will “ensure the beauty and tranquillity of the valley is preserved for future generations to enjoy”.

They say their aim is “a national exemplar that Sheffield can be proud of”.

The new proposals follow the rejection of the earlier scheme by the site owners Patrick Properties to build 300 houses.

Sheffield City Council refused planning permission for the 300 houses. The scheme was then rejected by a Planning Inspector following an appeal by Patrick Properties and a five-day planning inquiry hearing.

The Planning Inspector ruled in 2021 that development on that scale would cause serious harm to the Green Belt setting. He also questioned the sustainability of the development.

Friends of the Loxley Valley (FoLV) opposed the earlier development and took part in the planning inquiry alongside CPRE Peak District and South Yorkshire.

There were also nearly a thousand objections to the original scheme.

You can see full details of the inspector’s ruling in our earlier news post here: https://friendsoftheloxleyvalley.com/2021/08/11/friends-of-the-loxley-valley-welcome-planning-inquiry-decision/

What are the details of the new scheme?

Details of the new scheme are still emerging. Sky-House have told FoLV that they are now beginning “pre-application” discussions with Sheffield City Council to determine what might be acceptable on the site.

This is with a view to submitting a detailed planning application towards the end of this year.

FoLV have met Sky-House and the site owners Patrick Properties. We have told them why we believe the site is so sensitive, and why we think local people feel so strongly about it.

We have urged them to consult as widely as possible and to listen to a broad range of opinions before applying for planning permission.

FoLV also urged them to spell out their thinking and to make their ideas public so that everyone can have their say. They have now done this on a website they launched this week: https://loxleyvalley.co.uk/

The proposals have also been summarised in a story on The Star website published today: https://tinyurl.com/3twya665

What happens next?

FoLV will consult its membership as things progress. We also trust that Sky-House will consult the many people and organisations who offered views on the earlier planning application.

We hope they will listen carefully to a wide range of opinions, and that these will be reflected in a carefully considered planning application.

Once a planning application is submitted, everyone will have the right to read it and to send their views to planning officers before councillors meet to decide whether to approve it.

At this early stage, we think it’s really important that everyone takes the opportunity to have their say.

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