Sean Bean backs Handsworth greenbelt campaign to halt 1,638-home plan

Hollywood star Sean Bean has joined a local campaign to block plans to build about 1,638 homes on greenbelt land in Handsworth, Sheffield.

The project would see 868 homes built off Bramley Lane and a further 870 on farmland off Finchwell Lane, part of the community drive known as Save S13 Greenbelt - The Sapphire McCarthy campaign. The late Sapphire McCarthy, who launched the campaign earlier this year, is cited by campaigners as an inspiration for the effort.

Campaigners say the scheme would overwhelm local infrastructure, worsen traffic congestion, increase pollution and strain health services and schools already under pressure after a nearby development by Rotherham Borough Council. They note Sheffield City Council approved the greenbelt schemes in May as part of its local plan, and the decision now rests with national Planning Inspectors who will review the case.

Bean praised residents for rallying around the effort, saying, "We have got 4,000 signatures on a petition, and we mean business. We are not letting it go." He also stressed the broader significance of the greenbelt, saying, "The greenbelt means a lot to me as I grew up around that area... It is the only bit of greenery around that area, and it would be devastating if we lost it."

Cheryl Hague, a campaigner who met with Bean, said, "We are delighted to have Sean's support on this crucial campaign and will carry on this fight with the planning inspector meetings next week." She added that inspectors needed to listen to residents' concerns, which Sheffield City Council had not adequately addressed.

Sheffield City Council approved these greenbelt schemes in May as part of its local plan; planning inspectors are set to begin hearings next week to determine whether the proposals are fair and robust.

The broader policy context includes a government push to deliver 1.5 million new homes over the current parliament, a target that has intensified local planning debates across the country. In Handsworth, residents say the proposed development would strain roads, health services, and schools already under pressure following other nearby housing projects.