94 affordable homes and retirement bungalows in Balby given green light

On Tuesday, Doncaster Council’s planning committee approved plans for 94 homes to be built off Sandford Road in Balby.

The development will include 43 apartments and 13 semi-detached bungalows designed for retirement living.

These have been designed for people aged over 55, with facilities such as a residents’ lounge and scooter storage.

Some 38 regular detached and semi-detached homes of mixed size will also be built on the site.

Each home on the development is categorised as 100 percent affordable, meeting demand for housing in the area.

A decision on the application was previously deferred, over concerns that it had been misadvertised to the public.

Bungalows had previously been advertised as having extra care facilities, despite not meeting this requirement.

The council re-advertised the development to residents as a retirement living complex before a decision was made.

A petition with 51 signatures was received against the original proposal, which included plans for 119 homes.

Reasons for opposition included loss of habitat and wildlife, a lack of adequate drainage on the existing site, anti-social behaviour on the construction site, and the impact of construction on residents.

Signatories of the petition expressed additional concerns following the application’s deferral over the original misleading advertisement.

Other concerns were also raised over the development failing to meet 10 percent biodiversity net gain.

While biodiversity gain will not be achieved on-site, the developer will contribute £229,250 to achieve this elsewhere.

A separate application for 65 homes to the north of the site has also been submitted.