Opencast mine and housing scheme next to Wakefield village refused

Proposals to carry out the development were turned down after a planning inspector said it would “cause harm to the living conditions” of residents in Streethouse, Wakefield.

Wakefield Council originally refused an application by Yorkshire Mining Company to carry out the work in 2022.

The firm planned to opencast around 10,000 tonnes of coal and 25,000 tonnes of clay at the three-hectare site to the east of the village, off Whinney Lane.

They materials were to be sold to steam heritage railway preservation societies and brickwork companies across Yorkshire.

The site was previously occupied by Whitwell Main Colliery, which dates back to the late 1800s.

The pit closed in the 1960s and some opencast mining took place in the 1970s.

Much of the area then became scrubland after buildings on the site were demolished.

The applicant said the land was contaminated and old mine shafts had been abandoned.

The proposals included capping off much of the site with soil following mineral extraction to make it safe for housing.

A total of 177 people and Featherstone Town Council objected to the development, citing concerns for residents’ health due to noise and dust from the opencast works.

Others said it would destroy wildlife habitats, lead to the loss of a public right of way and increase traffic in the area.

There were 18 comments in support from residents who said there was a need for more homes in the village and it would boost the local economy.

Council planners gave multiple reasons for refusing the development

An officer’s report said: “The application fails to demonstrate that the development will not contribute to, or be adversely affected by, unacceptable levels of noise pollution, or would mitigate and reduce to a minimum, potential adverse impacts resulting from noise from the development, or would avoid noise from giving rise to significant adverse impacts on health and the quality of life.”

The Planning Inspectorate upheld the decision after it was appealed.

In a written decision, planning inspector John Dowset said: “I have found that the appeal site would not be a suitable location for new residential development and that the mineral extraction element of the proposal would cause harm to the living conditions of the occupiers of nearby residential properties due to noise.”