“Brown field” housing developments stalled?

Some 170 houses are to be built on the fields giving onto Coach Lane, to the east of the A1. At the same time as this, Liberal Democrat Councillors have expressed disappointment that there is no house building on the Sanderson Hospital site between Salters Road, North Avenue and Brackenfield Road. The site has remained empty for about 15 years since the hospital closed.

We say ; At a time when the Labour-run City Council has given permission for the building of homes on the Green Belt, it is a disgrace that prime brown field land, owned by the public sector, is left fallow. We firmly believe that the land could be positively used for a combination of older peoples' accommodation and affordable starter homes for young families - two groups desperately in need of more choices. This could be a substantial development and mean that the threat to the grassed recreation area on Park Avenue, Grange, where Alan Shearer used to play could be lifted.

A planning notification has also been received from Union Property Services to convert offices at Eagle Star House in Regents Farm Road into 78 residential units. These would be mainly single bedroom flats, with 78 parking spaces. This is not a planning application - the Government has changed the rules automatically to permit the conversion of offices into flats. However, developers are asked to commit to addressing environmental issues. Liberal Democrat councillors have asked for the potential increase in parking and traffic problems to be considered.

It is not clear if this development will actually take place or when. Other similar notifications at other office blocks in the Regent Centre area have not been followed through so far. Development must take place within three years or any approval lapses.