Plan for 230 new homes in Normanton is approved

Wakefield Council decision-makers gave their backing to plans for a 230-home development in Normanton despite serious concerns around noise and odour problems.
Wakefield Town HallWakefield Town Hall
Wakefield Town Hall

Outline planning permission had been sought by developer Bramley & Arthur Ltd to build up to 232 new homes on land off Mill Lane.

The proposals had been recommended for approval in a Wakefield Council planning report but, at a meeting this week, councillors were concerned that a nearby water treatment works could cause odour problems for residents, while its proximity to the M62 could also lead to noise complaints.

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A council officer told a meeting of the authority's Planning and Highways Committee how issues around smells and noise would be dealt with at a later stage of the plans, known as reserved matters, and that the outline plan was only to decide whether houses should go on the site.

However, councillors said more detail was needed from developers, with some questioning whether the site was suitable for housing altogether if the issues were not properly dealt with.

Coun Elaine Blezard (Lab) said: "With the water treatment works, I live about a mile away from this and I can smell it. I would like to know details of how they are going to stop that smell.

"It is a horrendous smell and these houses will be a lot closer, so it will spoil their amenity."

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Coun Kathryn Scott (Lab) said: "I am concerned about the noise level and air quality. It's not long since we refused a planning application because it was too near the M62.

"We are talking about having ventilation in properties so they don't open the windows, but children will want to play out - you can't keep them in an enclosed space just so the air stays okay for them.

"I am really concerned for the health and safety of the residents if this goes ahead."

A Wakefield Council officer told the meeting: "Nothing has been submitted with this application in terms of an odour survey, and Yorkshire Water did object to the indicative layout because the houses were quite close to a boundary."

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She said an odour survey and further details on the scheme would be submitted in a later form of the plans, known as 'reserved matters', while it would be difficult to put in an acoustic barrier due to the level of the motorway, as the noise would travel over the fence.

Coun Kevin Swift (Lab) said: "I am not sure it's safe to approve at outline - I think we needed more detail than we have got on a number of points.

"I am baffled as to how the issue of odour can be left as a reserved matter.

"If Coun Blezard says you can smell it a mile away, it's not that clear how fiddling around with the exact location of houses on site is going to deal with it.

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"I am very uneasy about the idea of having houses that can only be ventilated mechanically. This one needs quite a lot more sorting out before it's ready for approval."

The plans were passed by 11 votes for to none against. Three councillors abstained.

The specific details on what the homes in the development will be like would be decided at a reserved matters meeting, expected to be in the coming months.