Planning Applications & Development of the Local Area

• Section 106 Policies: S106 contributions are moneys paid as a result of a planning agreement (or a 'planning obligation') whereby planning permission is granted for a development subject to the applicant signing a legal agreement under section 106 of the Act. This agreement may be a one-off arising out of the special circumstances of a particular development, or it may be a standard type of agreement applying to all or most instances of a category of development. In the case of the latter, in Sheffield the most common type of standard agreement is when a housing developer agrees to pay towards improvements of existing open spaces (parks/play areas etc), in lieu of providing a new open space on the housing site as part of the new development. Improvements to existing parks are normally better for everyone than very small new open spaces, which are expensive to maintain and often too small to be useful eg for play activity. This type of standard agreement has to be based on an adopted planning policy, so the s106 agreements for open space improvements are based on policies in the Unitary Development Plan (Sheffield's current statutory development plan) and the detailed guidelines and formula for the payments are set out in Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPG). To read the Open Space SPG go to this webpage - www.sheffield.gov.uk/planning-and-city-development/planning-documents/spg [Reply to query from John on Shirebrook Road from Sheffield City Council 28th February 2008: Ben Benest, Forward and Area Planning Team, Development Services, (tel) 0114 273 4212]
• A pdf showing all the S106 monies allocated to Park & Heeley Area Panel since Jan 05 is attached to the bottom of the page.
• Sarah and Joan are investigating introducing the GT Group formally into this process, so we can input into any planning applications in the GT area.
• There are several discussion threads currently underway about planning issues. To see all of these go to the bottom of this page, or click on the ones that interest you:
• Kent Road Trees; (just left from the top of Shirebrook Road)
• 106 Money from the development on Kent Road;
• Oxfam in Heeley;
• You can see all the current threads in the Discussion Forum.
• Other interest in improving the area: Bohemian Cafe: "Cameron from the Bohemian has said he'd really like to hear from anyone who's interested in improving the environment on Chesterfield Road, to make it a much more inviting, green, thriving sort of place. He was encouraged to get a meeting together at the Bo - so watch this space. In the meantime if you have ideas, connections, long held fantasies, know-how, resources please drop by and speak to either Cameron, Imran or Jonathan the chef." (GT Email 23/10/07)

Key Contacts in the Local Area

• S106 Obligation Officer: Oliver Gamble, Environmental Planning, Sheffield City Council, Howden House, 1 Union St, Sheffield, S1 2SH, t 0114 273 5804, f 0114 273 5002 e oliver.gamble@sheffield.gov.uk
• Community Tree Officer: Moira Walker (Moira's post was temporary, but the address and landline should lead you in the right direction), Park and Heeley Community Forester, Parks and Countryside, Trees and Woodland Section, Meersbrook Park Offices, Tel: 2734303, Mobile: 07816 596228
• Planning Officer: Stewart Greenslade, Howden House, I Union St, Sheffield S1 2SH, Tel: 203 7768; stewart.greenslade@sheffield.gov.uk
• Local Councillors in Gleadless Valley: Frank Taylor & Denise Reaney (Lib Dem), and Garry Weatherall (Labour):
• Area Panel: A group are hoping to attend the next area panel meeting on 7th October click on the link to see the thread going on this. The area panel plan for 2008-9 is available as an attachment below.
• The Sheffield Star now have a dedicated green section called Green Scene: "If you want to get involved with Green Scene, have news to share, a photo to show or just a comment to make, email staronline@sheffieldnewspapers.co.uk and mark the subject field 'Green Scene'. See: http://www.thestar.co.uk/CustomPages/CustomPage.aspx?pageid=73301