Objections to homes and shop plan dismissed by officials

The former William Freeman site in Wakefield Road, Mapplewell, has been vacant since the business closed and buildings were demolished, with Barnsley Council now being asked to approve two separate planning applications which would see 102 new homes and a Lidl store constructed on the site.

Several residents have objected and Coun Roy Miller has also raised concerns about the road arrangement for the scheme, but council officials say the impact on the road network of traffic from both the homes and shop would be minimal.

They have carried out a transport assessment, covering five junctions, and a report to be considered by councillors suggests the impact of putting the houses and shop on the site would be 'minimal', even though it had been calculated on a 'worst case scenario', assuming every visit to the shop entailed a fresh car journey.

The assessment calculates current traffic density and expected traffic growth and the report concedes: 'It is demonstrated that some of these junctions begin to operate close to or above capacity at peak times.

'This is due to normal predicted traffic growth and not as a result of this development; therefore, highway improvement schemes will be investigated and implemented in the usual manner.

'Consequently, there are no objections to the proposed development in a highway context.'

The Co-op and Asda also both objected to the development, with the Co-op suggesting a better alternative site was available, but that has been overruled on the grounds the land has been earmarked for industrial development.

Asda had argued that the future use of the land for employment had not been ruled out.

A decision is expected when Barnsley Council's planning board meets on Tuesday.