Developers expect to start work on controversial estate as early as May


Planning permission is still needed to put almost 300 homes on a green field site off Thurnscoe Bridge Lane, in Thurnscoe, but builders Avant Homes are confident that will happen in time to allow work to start in May.
The overall scheme will be worth £66.5m, providing two, three and four bedroomed homes in the area.
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Hide AdThe site was earmarked as land for housing when Barnsley Council drew up its Local Plan, a blueprint to guide the development of housing and industry, around five years ago.
But there has been local opposition to the proposal, largely on the grounds that the village’s infrastructure is not capable of supporting so many new residents.
It has been argued that schools do not have the capacity to cope with the additional pupils the housing would bring, and that doctors practices and dental surgeries would also not be able to cope.
In addition, there have been questions raised over the suitability of the roads in the area for additional traffic.
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Hide AdHowever, Avant believe residents could be living on the development in 12 months time.
In a statement, the company said the development would include 30 affordable homes, in addition those sold through the conventional market.
The estate would have 13 different designs of homes, which the company say are planned to be energy efficient.
Avant Homes managing director, Richard Hosie, said: “As a house builder, we are committed to build quality new homes for everyone in places where people want to live.
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Hide Ad“Our proposed development in Thurnscoe represents an opportunity to deliver on this and provide practically designed, energy efficient homes ideal for a range of buyers.
“We look forward to Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council considering our plans to build a new and thriving community in Thurnscoe,” He said.
The site is the latest in the area to come up for development, with another proposal announced months ago which would see another former agricultural site at Darfield taken over for housing.
Similar concerns about the impact on the infrastructure have been expressed by residents in that community.
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