Plan to reopen open cast mine in village rejected

Plans to build 92 homes on a former colliery have been rejected due to coal needing to be extracted from the site beforehand.

Applicants the Yorkshire Mining Company planned to open cast around 10,000 tonnes of coal and 25,000 tonnes of clay at the former Whitwell Main site to the east of Streethouse village, near Wakefield.

A total of 177 people and Featherstone Town Council objected to the plans over concerns for residents' health due to noise and dust from the open cast works.

The development was then turned down after government planning inspector John Dowset said it would "cause harm to the living conditions" of residents in the village.

In his written decision after the developer's appeal, he said: "I have found that the site would not be a suitable location for new residential development and that the mineral extraction element of the proposal would cause harm to the living conditions of the occupiers of nearby residential properties due to noise."

An officer's report added: "The application fails to demonstrate that the development will not contribute to, or be adversely affected by, unacceptable levels of noise pollution."

Other objectors to the development said it would destroy wildlife habitats, lead to the loss of a public right of way and increase traffic in the area.

However, there were 18 comments in support from residents who said there was a need for more homes in the village and it would boost the local economy.

Wakefield Council originally refused an application by the company to carry out the work in 2022, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The site was previously occupied by Whitwell Main Colliery, which dates back to the late 1800s.

The pit closed in the 1960s and some open cast mining took place in the 1970s.

Much of the area then became scrubland after buildings on the site were demolished.

The applicant said the land was contaminated and old mine shafts had been abandoned.

The proposals included capping off much of the site with soil following mineral extraction to make it safe for housing.

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