Landowner in row with Wakefield Council over classing of former mine as greenfield

The property owner did not suffer "significant injustice", according the Local Government Ombudsman, who refused to the probe the grievance further.

In a public report by the Ombudsman, the complainant, referred to as Mr G, said he wanted to develop the land he owned into residential housing.

However, Wakefield Council's decision to class the property as greenfield, rather than brownfield land, made it much more difficult for him to get planning permission for any scheme.

The land in question was once used for mining, retains four mineshafts and is contaminated, according to Mr G.

The report said: "Mr G is unhappy with the council’s decision not to register his land (as brownfield).

"The council refused because it decided the site falls within an exclusion."

The Ombudsman added: "He is concerned (the council) could refuse planning consent for its development should he apply, as it classes it as greenfield land which he would then have to appeal at great expense."

Although Mr G said he'd received advice saying it was unlikely housebuilding would be approved on the site, the Ombudsman said it was not known "for certain" if any proposal would be rejected until Mr G applied for planning permission.

Offering reasons for its decision, the Ombudsman said: "Mr G has not submitted a planning application.

"This means any concerns about the possible impact this decision would have on it at some point in the future is pure speculation."

It added: "I am not satisfied Mr G suffered significant injustice justifying any further investigation of this complaint."

The report did not say whereabouts in the district the land in question was.

Local Democracy Reporting Service