Dozens of homes approved in Doncaster town against wishes of officers

Councillors on the planning committee approved a housing scheme north of Alexandra Street in Thorne against the wishes of officers who said the application should be refused because the land is defined in the countryside policy area.

But members of the committee said that the developer had met ‘all the challenges thrown at them’ in order to make it a sustainable development.

The scheme was previously before councillors back in August 2020 but was heard again as a result of new information in relation to ecology and the change in progress of the Local Plan.

The plot sits adjacent to another new housing scheme of 28 properties and a larger 206 home development across the road.

The development attracted eight formal objections with two in favour. Those against the plan raised concerns around additional trips across the rail crossing, privacy, highways safety and a strain on nearby amenities to name a few.

Those in favour of development said Thorne ‘is in need’ of additional housing and the properties would ‘boost the local economy’.

Thorne Moorends Town Council said they support the application in principle but has concerns over the access and egress to and from the site.

On approving the site, planning committee member Coun Daniel Barwell said: “It’s already been agreed previously, we’ve gone through all the motions beforehand and all the conditions we’ve thrown at them and they’ve accepted.

“I can’t see any reason why we should reject this.”

In total, nine councillors voted in favour with one against the application.

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