Planning wrangle over new homes to be settled

Planning permission was granted two years ago for the estate, on the site of the old Dearneside Comprehensive School, alongside the current Astrea Academy site.

The old school was demolished more than a decade ago.

That had conditions attached - including that ten per cent of the finished homes would be given over to ‘affordable housing’, which is now normal practice on developments with more than 15 new houses.

The policy is designed to address the needs of those struggling to find affordable rented accommodation, or get onto the housing ladder.

However, the developer then re-assessed the finances behind the project and decided the project would be financially unviable, if they were held to providing those homes.

Since then an independent assessor has gone over the figures, and agreed that the scheme cannot “viably” support affordable homes.

However, other financial contributions - totalling almost £800,000 - towards areas including education and sustainable travel, could be supported by the development, it was decreed.

Now councillors on Barnsley Council’s planning board are being asked to make a decision on whether the scheme should be allowed, without the affordable homes.

If it goes ahead, it would see 36 two bedroomed homes, 55 with three bedrooms and 15 four bedroomed properties built.

Three of the new homes would be bungalows.

The new application has been made by developers Redmile Homes.

The council’s planning officers are recommending that councillors approve the application, when the planning board meets, on Tuesday.