Derbyshire campaigner shares Keir Starmer’s concerns about GPs and schools for new housing schemes

Labour Party Leader Sir Keir recently stated at the Labour Party Conference, in Liverpool, that he wants to create new towns and build on unused urban land, and in further interviews he stressed he would not allow housing developments without providing infrastructure such as GPs and schools.

Campaigner Keith Oxby, of Long Duckmanton, and fellow protestors had objected to a planning application for 275 homes at Duckmanton on the grounds of the added strain to schools, facilities, and existing services including GP surgeries and dental practices.

But Labour-controlled Chesterfield Borough Council’s planning committee approved the proposed development in August and gave the go-ahead for the 16.6 hectare site on agricultural fields to the west of Duckmanton and north of of Long Duckmanton when there is a drive to provide housing for a growing population despite some councillors’s sympathies with residents’ concerns.

In a letter to Mr Starmer, Mr Oxby stated: “While I understand that the rules governing planning applications may not have been originally written by a Labour government, I am concerned that the current Labour council continues to uphold these rules, and allows construction of new-build homes to override concerns for inadequate health and education infrastructure.”

The Duckmanton development plans feature three access points from Tom Lane on a site that slopes away from Rectory Road, and the plans also include a commercial zone and a community area.

But the development has attracted objections from some nearby residents on various grounds including the area’s oversubscribed schools and the limited number of GP surgeries.

Duckmanton has no GP surgery and Mr Oxby said that a fellow campaigner argued at the planning committee that most GP surgeries and dental practices are either closed to new NHS patients or only offer a limited number of NHS places.

Although, the council has stated that NHS administrators have requested funding from the developers to go towards healthcare at one or more of the nearby GP practices including: Castle Street Medical, at Bolsover; the Family Friendly Surgery, at Bolsover; Royal Primary Care – Rectory Road Medical Centre, in Chesterfield.

A rcouncil report has also referred to NHS administrators’ requesting a contribution of £247,500 towards the healthcare at specified GP practices.

The council indicated that any funding that may go towards healthcare would support the expansion of existing practices but would not provide additional surgeries.

Fellow-campaigner Lisa Bosson also argued at the planning committee meeting that schools around Duckmanton are already ‘over-subscribed’ and that the housing scheme will bring a huge demand on other services.

Resident Steve Dyson added that the scheme should aim to improve the lives of residents but he feels this is not possible if there are not sufficient school spaces.

Worried residents submitted 152 comments to the council and a further eight letters were read out at the meeting as campaigners held banners referring to “No resources at Ducky”.

Chesterfield Borough Council stated that any shortfall in educational places would be considered under the Community Infrastructure Liability payments from the developers which will be calculated during later reserved matters.

In addition, the council recognized concerns from residents that the area has insufficient early years’ childcare, such as a child minders, but because this is largely provided on a private basis it stated that a contribution for this cannot be provided through the planning process.

Cllr Jacqueline Ridgway was also worried about the lack of GP provision with Duckmanton residents having to travel to Bolsover and Staveley, and Cllr Kate Caulfield said she understood residents’ concerns but explained the committee has to observe planning procedure and take into account consultees’ findings in making its final decision.

Sir Keir stated he would not allow housing developments to be built without providing infrastructure such as GPs and schools, according to the BBC, and he expressed concern developments were going up without the infrastructure to meet the demand

The Labour Party Leader added that he wants to speed up building on unused urban land such as disused car parks and wasteland and he wants to build towns.

Housing Minister Rachel Maclean has criticised Labour by claiming that it had previously failed to build enough homes in places where they are in power such as London and Wales.

Many Duckmanton residents are concerned the Duckmanton housing development will soon bring an added strain to schools, facilities, and existing services including GP surgeries and dental practices.

They also feel the development will result in over-development, the loss of greenfield land, potential harm to wildlife, a strain on sewage capacity and flooding problems on Tom Lane and Rectory Road, as well as traffic safety and congestion issues along Tom Lane.

Mr Oxby previously wrote to Chesterfield Borough Council with concerns that there had been a suggestion that pressure had been applied to approve the Duckmanton housing scheme and that had seemed to represent “bullying”.

But the council investigated the claim and stated any such reference was believed to have been frustration with the constraints of the decision-making process and that the application had not been handled “inappropriately”.

Other campaigners concerned about large residential planning applications across Derbyshire have also raised similar concerns about the potential strain on infrastructure, services and facilities.