THE wheels are finally in motion to ease the woes of residents on a controversial housing estate - but the developer behind the scheme says Barnsley will lose out on £20m in investment as a result.
Lowfield Park in Bolton-upon-Dearne, built by Gleeson Homes, has seen planners involved in a dispute with the developer over its policy on driveways for its new homes.
Gleeson prefers to install driveways made of loose gravel rather than solid materials, which it claims is more environmentally friendly and cost effective.
Meanwhile, residents have had to endure loose stones scattered throughout the estate and driveways that do not properly absorb rainwater.
“We have been battling for a lot of years to put the hard drives in specified on the planning criteria,” resident Tony Thomson, 68, told a meeting of residents to discuss the topic. Gleeson have got to supply hard drives, and now we want to know what types of drives they will supply and when.
“Ninety per cent of residents have said they would like block paving, but to be honest we just want it sorting.”
Sheffield-based Gleeson appeared at Barnsley Magistrates’ Court last year after failing to comply with several breach of condition notices issued by Barnsley Council regarding driveways at sites in Lundwood, Wombwell, Goldthorpe and Bolton-upon-Dearne.
Residents of the Bolton site were told on Monday that Gleeson is now required to re-lay drives on the second phase of the development after successful legal action by the council.
However, houses on phase one, built before the stipulations were added, are not covered by the decision. Dearne South councillor May Noble said: “I understand the concerns of residents that there’s a discrepancy between phase one and phase two, but phase one was built before we realised the gravel drives were a problem.
“We’re now waiting for the planning office to contact Gleeson to see when and where they’re going to start.”
A spokesperson for Gleeson said the firm was ‘deeply disappointed that Barnsley Council persist in ignoring environmental issues and government advice when other local authorities a few miles away insist on us installing gravel drives’.
The company said that a planned £20m investment into Barnsley would now be ‘directed elsewhere’.
“We will not be re-laying any drives on phase one of Lowfield Park and we have made a proposal for phase two,” the spokesperson added.
A spokesman for Barnsley Council said: “All recent appeals and arguments by Gleeson in respect of the provision of aggregate surfacing for private driveways and shared surfaces on their sites have been decided and all dismissed by the Planning Inspectorate.
“Legal proceedings for failing to comply with two breach of condition notices are currently ongoing with a court hearing due to take place within the next two weeks. Whilst legal proceedings are ongoing, Barnsley Council are continuing to work with Gleeson Homes to reach a satisfactory outcome on all affected sites.”
The planning board has repeatedly refused permission for an extension of 97 homes at the Bolton site, citing reasons about the applicant’s past behaviour and its alleged unwillingness to enter into correspondence.
‘Council take dispute to court’
A COURT showdown will take place later this month with Barnsley Council taking action against a housing developer which the authority claims is in breach of planning rules.
The case against Gleeson Homes will be heard at Barnsley Magistrates Court at a hearing on February 25.
It is unusual for such disputes to get as far as a prosecution and, according to council documents, Gleeson has already made a plea of not guilty to the case against the firm.
The allegations focus on the way private drives and shared space for vehicles to manoeuvre have been finished at developments in Elwood, Lundwood, and Blyth Street, Wombwell.
According to the council, the case is that of: “Failure to comply with conditions associated with surface finishing of shared surfaces and private drives for vehicle manoeuvring.”
A breach of condition notice was issued in February last year and had not been complied with, according to council papers.
Such notices apply when planning permission is granted with conditions, which are then not adhered to.
