Harron puts in for Sheffield resi

Plans have been lodged by the housebuilder to deliver 56 homes on former playing fields land in Handsworth, a site floated for removal from the Green Belt.

In plans validated on Sheffield City Council’s planning portal this month, Harron Homes proposes 56 homes, including 25% affordable housing, off Medlock Close.

ID Planning, which is working with the applicant, said in its planning statement that the site is bounded to the north by a recreational ground, and to the south and east by residential development along Medlock Close and Medlock Cresent.

In the local context, this represents a small corner of the large playing fields area. It is generally flat, with a gentle rise towards the north.

As set out by IDP, the site is currently within the Green Belt in the adopted unitary development plan policy maps.

However, the emerging Sheffield Plan has been under examination by planning inspectors, while the council has this year been consulting on main modifications – one of which deletes his site and the recreational land to the north and west from the Green Belt, ID said.

Furthermore, said the advisor, pre-application discussions with the council have given the application team confidence that the site should now be considered as Grey Belt, under the guidelines introduced since the Labour government took power in summer 2024.

Chesterfield-based Harron Homes’ professional team includes Envance, JSP Sustainability, ENS, Omnia, and Bryan G Hall.

The application reference to view full details on the Sheffield City Council planning portal is 26/01232/FUL.