Urgent Alert

from Nic and Penny Ralph, Members of the Friends of Crookes Valley and Weston Parks.


Are you aware that a planning application has been put in by the Parks, Woodlands and Countryside Department of Sheffield City Council to build a car park in Crookes Valley Park for the Dam House Pub? Work on the new pub has just been started. Details of the application are:

Proposal: “Alterations to form car park for Dam House Public House and park (full application under Reg 3 1992)”

Location: Crookes Valley Park, Mushroom Lane, S10, Sheffield

Applicant: Parks, Woodlands and Countryside, Sheffield City Council

Planning Reference: 03/01660/RG3.

In 1995 a planning application, which included a proposal to create a slightly larger car park in the same place, was turned down by the Council's Planning Sub-Committee. Some of the reasons that they gave for turning down the application are as follows, and although some of the strategy and policy numbers and letters may have changed since 1995, we believe these reasons for opposing the development are as relevant today as they were then.

"The proposal would result in the development of recreational space for non-recreational use and would thereby be contrary to Policy LR7 of the Deposit Version of the Sheffield Unitary Development Plan.

The proposal would necessitate the provision of a widened access road which would damage mature woodland and result in the loss of mature trees and would also involve the development of a car park which would detract from the green and open character of the area and would thereby be detrimental to the amenities of the locality and contrary to Policy LR5A, B & J of the Sheffield Unitary Development Plan and NCS7 of the Sheffield Nature Conservation Strategy.

The proposed development would result in the loss of a nature conservation site and an open space which forms the setting for an historic building and would be contrary to Policy LR5E & A and Policy GE11 of the Sheffield Unitary Development Plan.

The proposal will result in the loss of a green space in an area recognised as a green link and would reduce the area available for wildlife habitat and would thereby be contrary to Policies NC13 and 16 of the Council’s Nature Conservation Strategy and Policy GE10 of the Unitary Development Plan.

The proposed car parking accommodation would be detrimental to the amenities of occupiers of adjoining residential property owing to noise and general disturbance."

We also believe that there are a number of additional reasons why permission for the new proposal should be refused.

· The advent of vehicular traffic inside Crookes Valley Park would present new risks to the health and safety of park users, particularly younger children.

· The steep north western bank of the proposed car park would be hazardous for park users, particularly younger children.

· The provision of useful passing bays along Dam House Lane could not be achieved without damage to mature trees.

· The increased vehicular traffic generated by the new car park, particularly when coupled with the extra foot traffic generated by the pub, will create a significantly increased risk of accidents in Dam House Lane and Mushroom Lane.

· The developer of the Dam House has stated that the pub would be mainly dependent on foot flow traffic and its viability as a business would not be dependent on the provision of a new car park.

· The applicant has no coherent, agreed plan for management of the car park that would prevent its use by museum, hospital and university staff and student commuters.

We believe that, if this encroachment on the park is allowed to proceed, it will damage an attractive, tranquil and historic landscape, will destroy wildlife habitats in an inner city “green finger”, will create new risks for park users and will have a detrimental impact on nearby residents’ quality of life. In our view, these several costs far outweigh the likely benefits to be derived from the development.

If you want to comment formally to the Planning Authority on this proposal, you will need to do so before the deadline of 30th June 2003.

Plans can be inspected at Howden House and the officer in charge is Bob Turner (Tel 2734590) of the North West Planning Team. Note that if you are searching for this application on the City Council's Planning Application website you have to search under "Mushroom Lane" - neither Crookes Valley Park nor the Dam House will find it!

If you would like further information or to discuss the application, do not hesitate to contact us.
Please pass this message on to anyone you feel might be interested.

Nic and Penny Ralph