A NEW private car park advertising parking for hospital staff and regular users has sparked concern from residents near the site.
The car park, set up by local businessman Wayne Hadfield, is located on Stocks Lane.
Wayne owns the land and is considering it as a site for a future housing development - but with the site currently vacant and hospital parking frequently an issue, it has been levelled and made into a car park in an attempt to alleviate the parking problem.
But residents have reacted with concern to what they feel is an unnecessary development which brings a number of issues to the quiet residential area.
A resident of Sycamore Street, who did not wish to be named, said locals were worried that the car park would cause safety, noise and traffic problems.
“We didn’t agree to have the back of our houses turned into a main road, we haven’t been consulted,” the resident told the Chronicle.
No planning application has yet been submitted for the development, but work to prepare the site has been done and it’s location has been advertised on Facebook.
“Having lived on this street since I was a child I know it’s not the safest area, and there’s no CCTV to keep the cars in there safe. And if anything happens, who is to blame?
“There is enough parking for hospital staff, and even if there wasn’t, the answer wouldn’t be this.”
The car park follows another opened by Wayne in 2017 and managed by his son Tom, on the former site of the Chicago Rock pub off Pall Mall - which has since become a well-used facility, he said, for town-centre visitors.
Wayne said it did not matter what he built, people would always complain.
“But we’ve had plenty of interest from people as well. We’re cutting the price of parking by half and we’re doing the hospital a favour.
“Hospital staff park on these streets anyway.”
Late last year, a planning application was rejected and unsuccessfully appealed for a further car park on Old Mill Lane.
Wayne added he would be looking to reopen the car park later this year after putting together an application to install traffic lights on the junction leading into the site.
A spokesman for Barnsley Council, Coun Tim Cheetham, said: “Planning officers are aware of a number of enquires in relation to this development.
“Investigations are under way and the council will be carefully considering the next steps in terms of any necessary action.”
