ALMOST £1m will be secured through a housing development which is set to bring more than 100 homes to a former colliery site in Darton - despite stern opposition being submitted in its public consultation.

In 2022, original applicant Rouse Homes’ plan to build a total of 115 homes on neighbouring sites off Woolley Colliery Road were approved by the council’s planning board.

Up to 75 had been earmarked for the northern-most site, with 40 more on the southern part, according to a planning report.

However, the applicants decided to not move forward despite receiving planning permission - and Gleeson Homes stepped into the fore and look set to be granted permission to build 114 homes.

At Tuesday’s planning board meeting, councillors will vote on officers’ decision to earmark the scheme for approval, subject to the finalisation of a financial package which includes £672,000 for primary and secondary school places, £184,625 for public spaces and £85,500 for sustainable travel.

According to a report, the cash - ring-fenced via a Section 106 agreement - could go towards improving the neighbouring football and cricket club, as well as the kids’ park at Woolley Colliery Village.

The site - consisted of two, three and four-bedroom homes - would be accessed via a central estate road, plans show, with four cul-de-sacs off the main route.

A total of 32 comments were received about the plans - which drew criticism centring around ecological impacts, highways safety, additional traffic and increased traffic through Woolley Grange - and two from Darton East ward’s Couns Steve Hunt and Dickie Denton.

Coun Denton said: “Notwithstanding the many comments I have received from residents regarding lack of proactive transparency of the consultation process and the impact on the environment and local infrastructure, my objections are based on the following considerations.

“Within the application there is no reference - that I could ascertain - to the cumulative impact of multiple other developments which are approved and pending in the vicinity.

“There is no assessment of the impact on local infrastructure and facilities and no plans to mitigate for in inward migration of a significant resident increase.

“I cannot support this application without having the relevant information on both the impact and mitigation to ensure that both current and potential future residents are going to be able to access the services that are needed.

“The one area that is referenced is the ‘transport plan’ - this document feels very insubstantial and offer little in way of solutions to the increasing problem of access to the M1 through Darton or Haigh.

“It is wholly reliant on encouraging people to walk, use bikes and use public transport - a method that we know from past experience have very limited success -without offering anything in substance in terms of new networks and services to provide for this.

“These ‘solutions’ are also totally inappropriate for a working population that needs motorway access to get to work, while an unreliable and infrequent train service does not address this.

“I am disappointed and frustrated about the way this application has been managed.”

Coun Denton admits he is concerned about the lack of infrastructure there currently is for residents given the proposed number of new houses that are set to be built.

“There seems to be little consideration for the infrastructure needed to support further developments and the extra pressure that this will put on our already overburdened road transport networks is not sustainable,” he told the Chronicle.

“As Liberal Democrat councillors we have spoken before about Barnsley Council’s ‘flawed local plan’.

“With other applications pending or approved for Darton Lane, Coniston Avenue, the old Darton Primary School site, Paddock Road, Wakefield Road and now Woolley Colliery Road, this further validates our concerns.

“There appears to be little thought for the cumulative impact of multiple simultaneous development applications in the Darton East ward.

“Should this application be approved, we will be insisting vocally that any statutory developer’s contributions should be invested in the immediate vicinity.”

The council’s officers admitted the impact on neighbouring estates was ‘significant’ but added the majority of aspects cited - including its impact on highways, ecology and area were ‘moderate’.

The report added: “The local plan expected this site to come forward after a spine road had been provided through site allocations HS11 and HS25 to link Woolley Colliery Road to Darton Lane.

“Thereby, this has improved vehicular and pedestrian routes between the services and amenities in Darton and this site, Woolley Village and Wooley Grange.

“To justify this site coming forward ahead of the others, the applicant has proposed improved pedestrian links to the north and south of the site.

“This proposal has been assessed in detail by highways officers and is deemed acceptable having regard to road and pedestrian safety considerations.

“It’s deemed to comply with local plan and the proposal is deemed acceptable at this outline stage having regard to other material planning consideration.

“It is therefore, on balance, recommended for approval subject to a Section 106 agreement.”