114 homes at Former Woolley Colliery Site, Darton, Barnsley

The site and its setting

The site covers about 3.9 hectares in two parcels on a former colliery site allocated for housing, within Flood Zone 1.

“The application sites are allocated for residential development, under Local Plan housing allocation reference HS1 - Former Woolley Colliery, with the indicative number of dwellings being 90 as set within the site specific policy. The development site comprises of approximately 3.9ha of land, split over two parcels of land, located to the west of Woolley Colliery Lane, north west of Darton.”

“The north side of the site is 2.8ha, irregular in shape with woodland and residential properties to the north and west, Woolley Colliery Miners Welfare Cricket and Football Ground to the south and Woolley Colliery Open Space to the west. The south side of the site is 1.1ha and lies just to the south of the Welfare Ground with woodland within the Woolley Colliery open space to the north west and in the open space to the south.”

Officer report

Earlier applications

An earlier outline application for up to 115 homes was withdrawn after permission was resolved but its legal agreement was not completed.

“Variation of Condition 1 of Planning Permission B/03/1662/DT Withdrawn – The application was presented to Planning Committee on 14 February 2023, with the Planning Board agreeing the officer recommendation to approve and providing a resolution to grant planning permission. However the S106 was not completed and the application has since been withdrawn.”

Officer report

What consultees said

Relevant consultees raised no objections subject to conditions or contributions, including highways, biodiversity, drainage, design, pollution, trees and coal mining.

“Biodiversity- No objections subject to conditions…”

“Coal Authority – No objections subject to conditions…”

Officer report

Councillor comments

Councillors raised concerns about infrastructure, traffic, school capacity, affordable housing and possible contributions to local facilities, while supporting brownfield development in principle.

The committee’s decision

Members approved the application in accordance with the officer recommendation, subject to the legal agreement and an amendment to the construction method condition.

“2024/0867 (Residential development of 114no. dwellings and associated works, Former Woolley Colliery Site, Woolley Colliery Road, Darton, Barnsley).”

“RESOLVED that Members approved the application in accordance with the officer recommendation and subject to alteration to conditions 33 (Construction Method Statement condition) to add in the requirement to approve ‘routes for construction traffic’ along with the signing of the S106.”

Minutes