DEVELOPERS have come under fire from campaigners over the phasing of housing for one of the most controversial plans in the borough.

Barnsley Council wants to use part of the green belt for a site known as ‘MU1’ bounded by Pogmoor, Higham, Gawber and Barugh Green for 1,700 new homes and employment land with a link road connecting it to the M1 and Barugh Green.

The development has been met with fierce opposition since the proposal was announced as part of the town’s Local Plan, which sets out a blueprint for new housing and employment sites until 2033.

That plan needs to be approved by a government inspector before it can be adopted and a hearing to scrutinise the MU1 proposal was held this week.

A consortium wanting to do the work on the site was questioned by representatives of protest group Keep It Green during Tuesday’s examination hearing, when former MP Eric Illsley raised concern that the bulk of the housing in the proposal will not come until the latter end of the development.

Mr Illsley told the inspector: “The phasing in of the houses will not be completed until 15 years into the plan.”

Inspector Sarah Housden asked what would be built during the Local Plan period - which spans 19 years should it be adopted in 2018.

Paul Bedwell, on behalf of the consortium, said: “The challenge with that is when we talk about the 19 year plan period, the key date is from adoption and what we are looking at is from adoption to 2033.

“During that we think it is sensible to think 200 of the housing units would need to be delivered beyond the plan period so the bulk, almost 1,500 of the 1,700, will be built in the plan period.”

Gary Salter, who spoke on behalf of Keep It Green, told the inspector: “In reality the houses are towards the end because only about 30 per cent will be built between 2021-2025 and the bulk is still towards the end of the plan period and shows 213 will be built after 2033.”

The inspector was told by the developers there would be ‘heavy emphasis on infrastructure’ in the early part of the scheme and a modest amount of development about 180 homes ahead of a proposed link road through the site being completed, which they said is needed to allow for further development of the site.

The consortium said the focus of the development would be very much on traditional employment, housing and community facilities, with consideration given to potential retail elements to help sustain communities on the new estate.

The hearing was told the community facilities could include a medical centre, doctor’s surgery, childcare facilities such as a creche or nursery and a community centre.

A spine road that would link the site to Junction 37 of the M1 at the southern end and to Barugh Green Road to the north was also discussed.

The consortium said this would serve as a new ‘strategic’ highway for that part of town and alleviate traffic on Dodworth Road by providing an alternative route from the motorway to the town centre.

But it appears a rift has formed between the council and the consortium about the classification of this proposed link road.

Developers want it designated as ‘strategic’, considering it a catalyst for other development in the area and a key highway for growth.

The council has disagreed, saying it acknowledges the link road will have ‘demonstrable’ benefits for the MU1 site but this will be confined to that area.

A council highways officer told the inspector: “From a highways point of view we do not view it as strategic. It’s a link road.”

The Keep It Green group members told the inspector they do not think it will have any use as a strategic highway network and believe the reason developers want it to be classed as strategic is to make it attractive to market.