Victory for campaigners as The Pitches land listed as asset of community value

CAMPAIGNERS who fought off plans for housing at The Pitches have welcomed the land being placed back on Rotherham Council’s assets of community value register.

A decision to list the Stag site had been reversed as officers were ready to approve 116 properties for Newett Homes.

But councillors voted against the proposals — and their decision was vindicated by a planning appeal decision in December 2021.

The land was already designated as urban greenspace but RMBC re-listing it as an asset will add more protection in future.

Andrew Fellows, spokesperson for the Friends of the Pitches campaign group, said: “We are delighted that Rotherham Council has recognised that The Pitches is an asset of community value.

“We hope that this is the next step in returning the playing fields to sporting and community use. The best thing would be for the landowner to reopen the playing fields and put them back to what they were for 80 years — a real sport and recreation hub for the community.”

The inspector who heard the 2021 appeal said: “Were the site to be developed, then its loss as open space would have a significant adverse impact on the level of protected green space both in the local area and in Rotherham.”