Michael Meredith, creator of The Ecological Owlthorpe project, has warned of the dangers of building on the Owlthorpe grasslands and has created a petition in response to the potential development of 151 houses.
The Ecological Owlthorpe project aims to promote the preservation and conservation of the Sheffield areas. Michael Meredith said: “He has been associated with the area for 65 years, we all want answers, and we will continue to investigate.”
With the recent Storm Babet, Sheffield has seen disruption due to flooding with roads closing, transport being cancelled and houses overflowing with water.
The grassland grazing project currently acts as a flood plain and absorbs water that has cascaded across Moor Valley from Birley. It releases the water gently into the Ochre Dyke and prevents downstream flooding.
Meredith warns that building more properties in Owlthorpe as set out in Sheffield council’s draft local plan, will increase the risk of flooding downstream into Waterthrope, Beighton and beyond with catastrophic results for residents.
Jack Rhodes, a supporter of the project, said: “This site is a sanctuary for wildlife, a place of beauty where the local community go for walks. It is also where friendships are made while dog walking. I know this because I have witnessed it.“
Planning permission on the land was originally refused due to ecological preservation, however plans have been reintroduced for the 22 acres of land.
The land is part plot F of the Owlthorpe Grassland Grazing Project, which was split into four plots. One of which has also had applications for planning permission submitted and the other two are assigned green spaces.
After the floods, The Ecological Owlthorpe project put out a statement on their petition page. In it, they said:
“The grasslands, hedgerows, and trees of Owlthorpe hold millions of gallons of water helping to prevent downstream flooding. We need to discourage Sheffield (LPA) from building more properties in Owlthorpe. We do not want to increase the flood risk downstream in Waterthorpe, Beighton and beyond”
At the time of this article, the petition has 1,574 signatures and a goal of 2,500.
Learn more about the project at:
we need to let decision makers know how we feel about protecting Owlthorpe Heritage & Nature Trail as an upstream nature-based solution stopping downstream flooding.
Reading the above flooding was witnessed in Owlthorpe itself, the tunnel which joins Waterthorpe to Owlthorpe was impassable on foot. Below that on Moss Way the road itself flooded making cars either go through it causing damage or having to drive round the estate to try and avoid the water. The stream running down from Owlthorpe to Waterthorpe rose so quickly it caused the footpaths.
Please don’t let anymore building to take place as it is also having an effect on traffic in the area.