WAVERLEY LINK ROAD OPPOSITION MEETING

Local opposition to proposals for the Waverley link road continues at a public meeting

on:    Thursday January 28

at:    7.30 pm

at:    Woodhouse Mill Working Men’s Club.

The meeting has been arranged by Clive Betts MP and local Councillors Ray Satur, Marjorie Barker and Mick Rooney.

Clive Betts explained:

“Despite the recent decisions of Sheffield and Rotherham Councils about the Waverley development, it is inevitable that the proposals will have to be considered by the Secretary of State. The development proposals are by no means done and dusted.

This meeting is specifically about the proposed Waverley Link Road and Sheffield City Council’s Cabinet decision to agree to sell playing fields to Rotherham MBC.

The City Council is flying in the face of the expressed views of local people.”

HISTORY:

·        There has been no recent consultation by either Rotherham or Sheffield Council on the proposals for the development of the Waverley link road

·        Some 3years ago, in the light of media reports that Rotherham Council had plans for the development of the Waverley link road, Clive Betts MP called a public meeting and asked officers from both Rotherham and Sheffield councils to attend.

·        There was a large, packed meeting of local residents to consider the issues. Officers from Sheffield Council attended and were extremely helpful; officers from Rotherham council, whose scheme it is, declined to attend.

·        The meeting was unanimous in its view that the road proposals being made by Rotherham council were simply unacceptable. But, instead of just rejecting that proposal, the residents then went on to consider various alternatives and then agreed on a particular alternative, providing access via an extension of Retford Road.

·        Those proposals were formally submitted to both Rotherham and Sheffield councils.

·        Both councils accepted the alternative that had been proposed.

·        Further, Sheffield Council representatives made clear statements that the playing fields – although within the Rotherham boundaries, but owned by Sheffield council – would NOT be sold to enable the original road-line.

·        However, it appears that Yorkshire Water objected to the revised route and, as a result - but without telling the relevant MPs (Clive Betts and Kevin Barron) or local Councillors, or members of the public who had been involved in objecting to the original proposal and proposing an alternative – Rotherham Council has quietly gone back to the original proposal and has initiated plans for the purchase of homes, land and playing fields required to deliver it.

·        Then, in spite of Sheffield Council’s earlier commitment not to dispose of the playing fields, its planning officers – apparently with the full knowledge of leading Liberal Democrat councillors – worked with Rotherham Council on plans that do involve the sale of the playing fields.

·        Sheffield City Council’s Liberal Democrat Cabinet – without any recent discussion or consultation with local people – have overturned the former Labour decision not to sell the playing fields, and has now agreed to sell the playing fields to develop a link road which local residents have consistently opposed

·        Labour Councillors have demanded that this decision is reviewed and it will now be considered at a Scrutiny meeting on February 2^nd.

Clive Betts said:

“The recent behaviour of both Rotherham and Sheffield councils on this proposal is simply unacceptable.

Rotherham Council must now undertake a full and comprehensive consultation on its road proposals.

Sheffield Council must immediately stop colluding with Rotherham Council until a full consultation has taken place and re-affirm that these playing fields are NOT FOR SALE.

Bluntly, I’m staggered that Liberal Democrat Council Leader Paul Scriven, who has made so many promises about his commitment to protect Sheffield's green and open spaces, is backing the sale of playing fields for a road-scheme which has been unanimously rejected by local residents.”