Homes and industry plan is thrown out

UK Coal filed plans for 250 homes to be built at the former Yorkshire Main site in Edlington, alongside an already lined-up expansion at nearby industrial piping firm Polypipe.

But now the project faces an uncertain future after Doncaster Council's planning committee refused to give the scheme permission due to concerns for the people who might live in the homes.

The hearing was told there would not be enough buses serving the planned site, and that residents would have to walk more than half a mile to catch the most frequent bus.

The nearest shops would be a 20-minute walk away, with not all the paths en route having a hard surface.

UK Coal said today it would consider whether to re-submit an application or appeal.

Spokesman Stuart Oliver said: "Needless to say we're disappointed.

"We feel this scheme ticks all the right boxes in terms of redevelopment of brown field land, job creation, and meeting the Government's ambitious housing targets."

The hearing was told the nearest bus stop for the four-an-hour number 15 service was more than half a mile from the centre of the site. The nearest service, the number 14 on Broomhouse Lane, only operates five times a day.

Coun Susan Bolton said: "Everything is indicating it is not a sustainable site, and that there more sustainable sites for houses in the borough.

"No-one in their right mind wants to walk 1,000 metres for a bus, and one of the services that serves it only runs five times a day.

"People are not going to use public transport here."

Concerns were also raised that the scheme would have meant the permanent closure of Lords Head Lane, a narrow road that highways experts feared would become unsafe due to a large increase in traffic if the scheme went ahead.

It would have become passable only by foot or by bicycle.

Coun Jessie Credland said: "In my view we would be closing Lords Head Lane for the convenience of this site and that concerns me."

Polypipe had already confirmed it would be interested in taking a substantial amount of the proposed development. It has been in talks with UK Coal for more than a year over the site, which is close to its current base.