FIERCELY contested plans to build two giant warehouses - which would ‘destroy’ the outlook enjoyed from two 500-year-old farmhouses - look set to be approved after a planning report said residents do not ‘have the right to a view’.
The development, effectively an extension of Capitol Park in Dodworth, includes a 105,000sq ft building and a neighbouring 84,000sq ft premises.
Having been previously granted outline consent by councillors on the planning board in 2019 - despite impassioned pleas from Lane Side Farm resident Gary Hunt and objections from local councillors - full permission is set to be given to Sterling Capitol on Tuesday.
Gary said: “I want the town to prosper and while I accept this land has been removed from the green belt for employment use, this will blow 500 years of history to pieces.
“I do not believe there’s been proper and adequate consideration given to our properties, the setting or its surrounding area.
“We believe it’s been pushed through with little regard for us - we want jobs in Barnsley, but not at any cost.”
According to the report, the closest unit will be 37 metres away from the historic farmhouses, while a 13-metre-wide section of trees will effectively ‘screen’ the warehouses from sight - but residents maintain awarding permission would have a detrimental impact on their views.
Changes to the buildings’ colouration was also revealed in the report, with dark green now being preferred to dark grey.
The report added: “The site as a whole would be screened from the west by highway trees, but unit one would lie close to the northbound M1 motorway and be visible from it - unit two would lie at a higher level close to Higham Lane.
“Service yards are provided to the south of each unit - unit one, together with its service yard, is set down from the dwellings at Lane Side Farm and the vegetation would screen the access road leading down to it.
“Whilst an objector considers that the floor levels of the building is too high and the floor level and eaves of the building should be lowered by approximately four metres, the height of the development platforms that the buildings would sit on matches that approved on the full part of the previous application.
“The two residential dwellings lay close by on Higham Lane which would be at a higher level than unit one, but lower than unit two.
“The resident also considered that loss of outlook has not been considered, however this has been discussed and there is no right to a view.
“One objector considers that Lane Side Farm is a non-designated heritage asset and should be considered.
“This was considered in the officer report at outline stage and neither Historic England nor the South Yorkshire Archaeology Group raised any objections.
“Outline planning permission, including means of access, has already been granted and so the reserved matters under consideration as part of this application are layout, design, scale and landscaping.
“Following the amendments, the layout, design, scale and landscaping are considered acceptable.”
Sterling Capitol claims up to 650 jobs will created as a result of the development.
A spokesman on behalf of Sterling Capitol said: “Capitol Park, by junction 37 of the M1, is one of the most successful business parks in South Yorkshire.
“First launched by Sterling Capitol in 2005, the 36-acre has helped to create jobs and provide a significant boost to the region’s economy.
“This is an important and essential step in creating a significant amount of new jobs on the site.
“The continued success of Capitol Park shows that there’s a strong demand in the local area.
“While we accept there will be a change in outlook for the occupants of properties nearby, we can protect them by using trees for screening.”
