Albemarle try again for 120 houses without full environment checks
Dear Supporters,
Thanks to your relentless backing, we previously won a huge victory when Doncaster Council legally ordered a full Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the Littleworth Lane proposal (Ref: 26/01028/SCRE). However, the battle is far from over!
Following that positive screening decision, Albemarle Homes submitted an EIA Scoping Application (Ref: 26/01802/SCOP) to define what checks they actually have to carry out.
Unsurprisingly, Albemarle's planning consultants have been actively pushing back against almost everyone—including council officers, highways, and environmental consultees—who insists they must carry out comprehensive checks.
While they have finally conceded to including an "Eco-Hydrology" chapter to assess water and nearby wetland habitats, they are aggressively arguing to scope out almost every other critical issue from the EIA:
Urban Edge Effects & Ancient Woodland: They claim a mere 15m buffer and existing scrub/ditches are enough to rule out damage from light, noise, pets, and recreational pressure on Gelster Wood and Gelster Lane Holt.
Peat & Soil Impact: Despite warnings from council environment officers regarding peat as a vital carbon store, Albemarle claims no peat-specific surveys are needed across the site.
Highways & Traffic: They are actively fighting requests from the Local Highway Authority for a dedicated EIA transport chapter, claiming traffic impact on Littleworth Lane will be "negligible".
What Happens Next?
The Council's formal decision on this scoping opinion is expected on Wednesday, 4th November.
This decision will determine whether Albemarle is allowed to skimp on testing or if they will be forced to conduct full, rigorous, independent assessments across water, drainage, ancient woodland, peat, and traffic before submitting any full planning application.
Thank you all for continuing to stand up for our community, our countryside, and our local environment. We will share another update as soon as the Council’s scoping decision is officially issued!
#SaveLittleworthFields #ProtectGelsterWood #RossingtonTogether