PLANS to turn a ‘dangerous’ quarry into a nature reserve have been knocked back by Barnsley Council’s planning board.

Stairfoot Quarry, which is part of the sprawling former Yorkshire Brickworks plant, was a magnet for youngsters who would swim in the quarry during the hot weather.

It resulted in former owners Hanson UK and Heidelberg Materials erecting fencing around the Wombwell Lane site to increase safety and prevent access.

Signs warning youngsters of the under-surface dangers were also installed, while patrols were increased by South Yorkshire Police and Barnsley Council.

The quarry was last operational in 2003 but was bought by Green Earth Developments Group (GEDG) in 2024 in a bid to re-purpose the site into a community asset.

Planning documents state that the quarry would be re-engineered.

The report said that almost 700,000 tonnes of materials would need to be brought to the site to ensure that the habitat bank could be created meaning on average 80 HGVs will pass around the already-busy Stairfoot roundabout every day.

However, the council’s planning board knocked back the plans last week.

A report states: “Initial comments from highways noted that the proposal would add significant daily traffic to an already busy arterial route.

“Surveys from 2023 indicate average two-way flows exceeding 1,400 vehicles per hour during the morning peak.

“The submitted transport assessment estimates two HGV movements every seven to eight minutes during peak hours, resulting in over 100 two-way trips per day.

“The beneficial economic impacts of the proposal are limited to job creation both on site through direct employment of four people during the importation phase, and off site, through the employment of hauliers and are considered to have moderate weight in favour of the application.

“Since the application has not demonstrated that there is a need for additional landfill within South Yorkshire it is concluded that only limited weight can be given to the economic benefits of the proposal.

“Having balanced all material planning considerations, it is concluded that the positive aspects of the proposal outlined above are outweighed by the harm and lack of information as set out.

“The proposal is therefore, on balance, recommended for refusal.”

The refusal comes after the Trans Pennine Trail and the Walk Wheel Cycle Trust objected to the plans, as did the British Horse Society.

The report added: “Concerns have been expressed in the Trans Pennine Trail and Walk Wheel Cycle Trust joint response that the proposal does not explicitly limit the number of HGV movements or the extent of the disruption to users; does not avoid TPT peak times and lacks sufficient evidence to of the extent of users at busier times of the year (particularly the summer months).

“Further advice is given on the need for information and warning signs for TPT users and on the design of the proposed gates and the need for amendments to the proposed gate opening sequence which currently shows the HGV gate being opened before the TPT gate is closed, leading the risk of collision.

“Some of these concerns are echoed in the PROW comments on the revised documents.”