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Campaigners fight for site 'steeped in history'

Friends of Wincobank Hill A group of a dozen people huddle together smiling in front of a sign reading "private land".Friends of Wincobank Hill
Friends of Wincobank Hill have campaigned against the building of houses on land near Sandstone Road for more than 20 years

Campaigners have renewed calls for developers to abandon plans to build properties on a piece of land in Wincobank, arguing the site is "steeped in history".

Residents said work had been carried out on the land earlier this month, with trees and shrubs cleared, despite no formal plans being approved.

The Friends of Wincobank Hill have fought to preserve the stretch of land off Sandstone Drive, which they believe lies on top of a Roman dyke, for more than 20 years.

The BBC has approached landowner Investates Developers for a comment.

BBC/Simon Thake A man in a long grey coat and black hat stands with his back to an area of wasteland.BBC/Simon Thake
Danny Allsebrook, chair of Friends of Wincobank Hill, said the area was "steeped in history and natural history"

The land lies to the north east of semi-detached houses on Sandstone Road.

Investates Developers had previously made planning applications to build houses on the site dating back to 1991.

Further applications were made in 1995, 2003, 2012 and 2018 but each application was rejected by Sheffield City Council's planning committee.

In a report from 2018, the council rejected the proposal on the grounds that "the proposed development may result in damage to a significant prehistoric archaeological site".

The developer appealed against the decision but this was dismissed by a government planning inspector.

In his appeal decision, inspector Colin Ball said the Roman Ridge "may be one of the most significant examples of ancient linear land division in Britain".

BBC/Simon Thake An elderly man in a black coat stands next to an elderly woman in a red coat with a stretch of waste land behind them.BBC/Simon Thake
Brian and Madelaine Tanner live next to the site on Wincobank Hill and have been protesting against the building of houses for years

'Battle of the Roman Ridge'

Friends of Wincobank Hill chair Danny Allsebrook said: "This is a nationally significant site as well as an archaeological treasure.

"The area is steeped in history and natural history with woods and trees.

"It cannot be built on."

Madelaine Tanner has lived next to the site on Sandstone Road for more than 30 years.

Although there was no evidence that the developer had submitted another planning application, she said she was "bracing herself".

"I couldn't believe it when I saw the diggers," she said.

Penny Rae is a former member of the Friends group who has overseen a number of campaigns.

She said: "It's like the Battle of the Roman Ridge.

"Every few years this comes up. Now we need to win the war."

Friends of Wincobank Hill Black-and-white satellite photo of land showing houses and grassland.Friends of Wincobank Hill
An aerial images of the land on Wincobank Hill thought to cover a Roman Ridge. The reservoir owned by Forgemasters is in the top left of the picture.

Recent work at the site has also drawn the attention of the historic cast and steel manufacturer Sheffield Forgemasters, which owns the reservoir and some of the land adjacent to the plot.

Chief executive Gary Nutter said: "We are aware of surface ground clearance around our Wincobank reservoir, which has encroached on Sheffield Forgemasters' land and have contacted the responsible parties to express our disappointment."

The landowners have not responded to a request for comment.

Sheffield City Council also declined to comment.

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