Plans for 126 homes beside M1 in Barnsley put on hold

Plans for 126 homes beside the M1 in Dodworth have been deferred after councillors voted to visit the site before reaching a decision.

Barnsley Council’s planning board today (September 1) voted to defer Keepmoat Homes’ outline application for land north of Keresforth Road, close to junction 37 of the motorway.

Planning officers had recommended approval, subject to conditions and the completion of a £900,000 Section 106 legal agreement.

Those are legal agreements between a council and developer, which ensures developers provide financial sums or direct infrastructure works to support developments, such as affordable housing, educational facilities and green spaces.

However, councillors decided to inspect the site before determining whether the development should go ahead, with some raising concerns around flooding and air quality.

The proposals attracted 154 representations over five consultations, although some people responded more than once. Concerns included congestion, flooding, pressure on schools and doctors, and the loss of green space and wildlife.

Objector Rachel Lamyman asked for the decision to be deferred, on the grounds that residents had not had sufficient time to access the documents due to the summer holidays, and added that it was 'not fair' to judge traffic recorded in surveys during the summer holidays in 2024.

The application was submitted in January 2022 and originally proposed up to 215 homes, but the number was reduced to 126 following concerns about trees, wildlife and highways.

The land is allocated for housing in Barnsley’s Local Plan but is also designated green space.

Council policy would normally require 30 per cent of the development – equivalent to 38 homes – to be affordable.

However, a viability assessment submitted by Keepmoat concluded that the scheme could not provide the affordable homes or the usual £503,816 payment to compensate for the loss of green space.

An independent valuer acting for the council assessed the proposals and concluded that the developer could afford a total contribution of £900,000.

Under the proposed £900,000 legal agreement, £736,000 would fund primary and secondary school places, £89,750 would go towards biodiversity measures and £69,300 would fund public-transport improvements.

The remaining £4,950 would be allocated to the provision or improvement of affordable housing.