{"id":69093,"date":"2026-03-20T09:52:53","date_gmt":"2026-03-20T09:52:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/shefnews.co.uk\/?p=69093"},"modified":"2026-03-20T09:52:56","modified_gmt":"2026-03-20T09:52:56","slug":"sheffield-green-belt-campaigners-furious-at-councils-plan-to-build-on-protected-land","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/shefnews.co.uk\/index.php\/2026\/03\/20\/sheffield-green-belt-campaigners-furious-at-councils-plan-to-build-on-protected-land\/","title":{"rendered":"Sheffield green belt campaigners furious at council’s plan to build on protected land"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A group of environmental campaigners in Sheffield pledged to step up their protests as the campaign approaches its first anniversary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The campaign, Save Chapeltown, Ecclesfield and Grenoside Greenbelt, believes the building plans would have a ‘catastrophic’ effect to their communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They have been campaigning since April 2025 when councillors voted for plans to build 3500 homes on greenbelt land in the area in May last year. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The council has already made plans to build 35,000 homes on brownbelt sites, however they claim these are not enough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jo Tunstall, leader of the campaign group, said: “We have accepted loads of development in the right places but this green belt land is protected and it should remain that way because otherwise where do you stop?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“If these plans went ahead it would be a decimation of communities. If we wanted to live in an urban environment, we wouldn’t live on the outskirts of Sheffield.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The group is planning to raise \u00a370,000 to continue their fight, and have already held events such as ‘Green Fest,’ a halloween disco, raffles and have created merchandise. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This follows Sheffield City Council’s meeting on 4 March, where Councillor Tom Hunt responded to the backlash from the ‘supergroups’ protesting across the city.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He said: “People are rightly passionate about their areas but for a very long time we have not been building the levels of homes that we need. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

“I am not and I know many other councillors are not prepared to let that housing crisis go unchanged for years.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Councillors will vote for the second time in July this year, on whether to go ahead with the plans. The group has said they will continue to put pressure on the council in the upcoming months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mrs Tunstall said: “If we didn\u2019t do it, it would be worse is not a valid answer because this plan does not stop speculative development further.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Our endeavour is to get Sheffield behind it because Sheffield should want to remain the greenest city. They should want to maintain that as a legacy for future generations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Save Chapeltown, Ecclesfield, and Grenoside Greenbelt has accumulated 5000 followers on Facebook and post regular campaign details and updates on their website<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jonathan Chubb from Sheffield City Council, said: “The plan has been developed over a number of years and examined independently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Even with the greenfield site proposals, more than 96% of Sheffield’s Green Belt would remain protected.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n