Demolishing two Barnsley Council houses to make way for new development cost £28,000

An opposition councillor challenged Barnsley Council’s administration to declare the costs of demolishing two council houses to make way for a new housing development in Dodworth during today’s (February 3) full council meeting.

Keepmoat Homes lodged an outline planning application to build 215 homes off Keresforth Road, Dodworth last month.

Persimmon homes applied to build 146 homes on the site in 2018, and the council say the decision to demolish the homes was made on the basis that the housebuilder would reimburse the council’s costs of demolition and fees upon securing the site.

The Council would have received £800,000 for the sale of the site, but Persimmon withdrew the application.

A spokesperson for Persimmon Homes said: “We were disappointed that we were unable to secure planning permission on this site, especially after spending a significant amount of money ourselves pursuing it.

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“While our involvement ended around three years ago we believe another developer is potentially now interested in the land.”

Councillor Peter Fielding, Lib Dem representative for Dodworth, says the houses were demolished ‘for no good reason’ – as Keepmoat has proposed access to the new development to be taken from Keresforth Road.

Planning documents state that the site has ‘limited options for vehicular access’, with access from Keresforth Road the only ‘viable and achievable solution’.

The council say that planning applications must follow due process, and until all comments are received, and planning considerations have been assessed, they cannot say what the recommendation to the Planning and Regulatory Board will be.

The assessment included the access off Keresforth Road that Keepmoat Homes is proposing, and Bark Meadows, which Persimmon Homes had proposed in their planning application back in 2018.

Councillor Fielding said: “The council has made this access, where we’ve lost the two council houses, and would have meant putting a road across the small South Road Park.

“And neither developer want to use that for whatever reason.”

Coun Fielding added that he believes there are only around 115 four bedroom Bernslai Homes properties left.

Councillor Tim Cheetham, cabinet spokesperson for regeneration and culture, said: “The decision to demolish the pair of semi-detached houses in 2020 on South Road in Dodworth was made following a careful assessment of all other possible access points into the land allocated for residential development.”

Councillor Cheetham told the meeting that the cost of rehousing the tenants and purchasing new accommodation came to £12,656, and demolishing the properties and making good the site afterwards came to £28,604.

BMBC also lost £11,943 through lost rent and £5,627 in council tax, and the loss of assets of the houses of £92,414 – £46,207 each.

“Ultimately, it is up to an applicant to decide what to include in their planning application and whether or not to take on board any informal advice that the council has provided about the suitability of their proposal,” said Coun Cheetham.

“An applicant is therefore entitled to argue that alternative access is not necessary but that doesn’t mean the Council agrees.

“Now that we are in receipt of a planning application, it has to follow due process and so until all comments are received and planning considerations have been assessed, we are unable to say what the officer recommendation to the Planning and Regulatory Board will be.”