A FORMER factory site was targeted by vandalising youths over the weekend - prompting local councillors to pick up calls for action to be taken.

The former Wembley Works site, based on Hemingfield Road, Wombwell, has been subject to antisocial behaviour on a number of occasions.

It culminated at the weekend with a break-in by youths - and Wombwell councillors James Higginbottom, Brenda Eastwood and Robert Frost have called for more action to be taken to ensure that residents aren’t facing the brunt of the issue.

They are asking the owner to secure the building so these incidents don’t keep occurring.

The only issue is, they don’t actually know who owns the building.

They said: “We are deeply concerned to hear reports of intruders breaking into the disused factory on Hemingfield Road, creating a nuisance for neighbouring properties and potentially putting themselves at risk of serious injury, or worse.

“We are grateful to South Yorkshire Police and Barnsley Council’s neighbourhood wardens for their prompt response to concerns that have been raised, but patrols can only go so far to prevent unauthorised entry to the site.

“We are calling on the owner to take the necessary steps to fully secure the building and remove this risk to the public.

“In the longer-term, as local councillors, we would be keen to see proposals to redevelop and put the site to much better use for the whole community.”

Plans to demolish the factory and replace it with 17 new houses had been submitted to the council’s planning board and were backed by the three local councillors.

However the application was turned down by the planning department at the council in March, citing that the site should be used for employment rather than residential.

A report states: “The proposed site is an existing employment site, located in the principal town of Wombwell.

“Inadequate evidence has been provided to support the proposal that the loss of this site is acceptable.

“The adverse impacts of approving this development relating to the loss of an employment site and the failure of the proposal to support economic growth outweigh the potential benefits of the proposal.

“Therefore, the proposed is unacceptable in principle and refusal is recommended.”

However the applicants stated that the site could no longer be used for employment due to the state of it.

The report said: “The site and building are currently vacant, after previously being used for various business uses including pharmacy supplies, MOT garage, bespoke vehicle engineers and food producers.

“However these have now relocated and the site now unused.

“The proposals utilise a large vacant building and site which is beyond economic repair.

“It would be unfeasible to convert this building to flats due to costs and also local need, with more homeowners looking to buy houses, instead of flats.”

A spokesperson for the police said: “At 7.19pm on Sunday, we were called to reports of criminal damage at Hemingfield Road in Barnsley.

“It is reported that two youths were throwing rocks at the Wembley Works, causing damage.

“Enquiries are ongoing.

“If you have any information that could help with enquiries, please get in touch online or by calling 101, quoting incident number 847 of July 6.”

The site is currently listed on the Hunters’ website for £750,000 - though the Chronicle understands there has not been significant interest.