Last year, Alexander warned of proposals for a major new housing estate in Hellaby with no adequate plan for roads or services—claims which Labour called false. But now, the truth is clear.
The Hellaby Community Group has confirmed that Barratt Homes has submitted plans to Rotherham Planning Board to build on Cumwell Fields. The application—while not yet live on the portal—has been discussed between the parish council and developers. Concerns raised include:
- Overloaded local roads
- No plan to improve local services
- Potential rat-run routes
- Air quality and health impacts
- A lack of monitoring and infrastructure planning
Following the decision last year of Angela Rayner to double the local housing target set previously by the council, and to make this target mandatory, developers have been encouraged to bring forward plans to build more homes. This is in spite of the Labour councillor telling Rayner that there isn’t the local demand for all these homes.
Construction is unlikely to begin before 2028, but Alexander is calling for transparency and proper community consultation now—not later.
