FORMER quarries and ex-mining sites in Barnsley could be made up for grabs for future housing sites as part of a multi-million pound scheme which vowed to clean up contaminated land to make them more enticing to developers.

The first two Barnsley-based sites - 13 acres off the Cudworth Parkway commuting belt and former open cast mining land off Coniston Avenue in Darton - are set to undergo remediation work after county bosses signed off on a combined £2.2m package.

Part of the government’s ‘Brownfield Housing Fund’, which is being administered locally by the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA), it aims to effectively freshen up long-empty sites for potential housing schemes.

Bosses believe it will help local authorities to deliver their house-building ambitions which have been mired in controversy due to local residents’ campaigns and developers’ reluctance to take on brownfield sites with a working history.

Housing delivery in Barnsley stood at 84 per cent of targets between 2020 and 2023, meaning an under supply of more than 3,600 houses required by the government was registered by the council.

The local plan set a target of delivering 22,000 homes between 2014 and 2033, which equates to about 1,100 per year.

According to documents, developers for both initial Barnsley sites have expressed an interest in building - including Fenwood for Cudworth and a co-partnership of Conroy Brook and Ben Bailey for Darton - if the land is put back to a suitable, habitable condition.

A SYMCA report said: “The purpose of the current Brownfield Housing Fund is to ‘unlock’ housing development on brownfield sites to enable new homes.

“Land off Cudworth Parkway is classed as a mixed brown and greenfield site and includes a former quarry and landfill.

“A total of 13 acres require remediation in order to deliver 144 housing units, 42 of which would be situated in the former quarry which has abnormal servicing and land stability.

“In Darton, it is former open cast mine land and comprises of three individual land parcels.

“All require remediation and stabilisation.

“There’s good connection to local facilities and infrastructure to deliver 39 houses.”

According to SYMCA, Barnsley Council has long identified the need to make better use of derelict and contaminated land to ease pressure on greenfield sites and fiercely-protected stretches of green belt.

The Cudworth Parkway project is seen as a key part of this strategy, turning so-called difficult land back into productive use while boosting the supply of new housing for local families, and using the link road.

Construction is expected to move forward subject to public consultations and securing planning permission once the remediation work is complete.

Coun Robin Franklin, cabinet spokesperson for regeneration and culture said: “We need sustainable, quality housing so all residents can live in a home that’s right for them.

“As a council, we’re focused on long-term planning to address population growth, changing needs and economic challenges, aiming to build resilient communities with housing options for all.

“It’s great news that £2.2m has been awarded by SYMCA through the Brownfield Housing Fund to help develop these sites.

“We continue to work with SYMCA and Homes England to maximise grant funding opportunities to accelerate housing delivery across the borough.”