Plans for homes on former allotments site in Barnsley approved

The applicant wants to build the homes on land south of South View in Darfield, and an outline planning application was approved at Barnsley Council’s next planning board meeting on September 14.

Initially, developers applied to build 30 homes on the site, but this has been reduced to 20 to “allow for the retention of some green space”.

The site is allocated as greenspace in Barnsley’s local plan, which is protected from development unless it is replaced or if there is “is too much of that particular type of green space in the area”.

During the meeting of Barnsley Council’s planning board on September 14, Councillor Trevor Cave, who represents Darfield, said he was not against the plans, but is concerned about the fault line under the land.

“I am concerned regarding the position here to the great Yorkshire fault,” he told the meeting.

“Quite a few houses in that area have had to be demolished due to the movement of the fault, plus undermining, five times in the past, from Darfield Main Pit.”

However the officer for the application told the meeting that the South Yorkshire Mining Advisory Service had looked at the scheme in regards to mining subsidence, and the fault, and had recommended a condition.

A report to the board states that potential contamination risks to the proposed development were identified, and an intrusive site investigation has been suggested.

Councillor Andrew Gillis raised concerns about the access to Snape Hill Road, which he called “a fast road at the best of times.”

The outline permission was granted after a vote.