Inquiry Set for 90 Home Plan on Derby Green Space Next April

A public inquiry will occur in April. It focuses on building homes near Royal Hill Road. Miller Homes wants to build 90 houses there. Derby City Council previously rejected the plans. Locals sent 117 objections to the council.

They worry about traffic and lost green space. The developer appealed the council’s decision. A public inquiry seemed necessary due to local interest.

Andrew Smith will lead the inquiry. It begins April 15 and ends April 17. A fourth day is set for April 29. The inquiry starts at 10 AM each day. It will be at Derby City Council headquarters. The council planning committee rejected the plans last year.

Planning officers had suggested approval. A majority of councillors voted against the project. Matthew Holmes wanted to protect green spaces. Green wedges separate suburbs and provide space. This green wedge separates Spondon and Chaddesden. Holmes thinks the city is at a crossroads. He doesn’t want to remove the green wedge.

Tim Prosser thinks squeezing houses onto green areas is nonsense. He wants to protect the green wedge land. He will not support the building application. The inquiry will discuss the green wedge. It will address housing supply shortfalls too.

Miller Homes stated the development would be desirable. It would help meet the city’s need for houses. Miller Homes acknowledges disagreement about the green wedge impact. They request a “tilted balance” approach. They say the city lacks a five-year housing supply. The developer thinks the refusal was odd. The council had said it wouldn’t hurt the green wedge’s function.