PLANS to demolish a factory in Hemingfield and replace it with 17 new houses have been rejected by Barnsley Council.

An application for work to take place at the Wembley Works, on Hemingfield Road, were originally submitted to the council in March last year.

The plan included the demolition of an existing factory on the site, and the subsequent redevelopment of the site for residential use.

All three councillors in the area, Brenda Eastwood, James Higginbottom and Robert Frost, were in support of the application.

Coun Higginbottom said: “I fully support the principle of developing this site for housing, it’s ideally situated in terms of road access to the Dearne Valley Parkway and the M1 and would represent a positive development of a derelict brownfield site into family homes.”

Coun Frost added: “I totally agree with Coun Higginbottom.

“The last time this area was considered for redevelopment we asked that it was marketed for continued business use but there have been no takers, so family homes is the best use.”

Despite this, the council rejected these plans earlier this week.

A report states: “The proposed site is an existing employment site, located in the principal town of Wombwell.

“Inadequate evidence has been provided to support the proposal that the loss of this site is acceptable.

“The adverse impacts of approving this development relating to the loss of an employment site and the failure of the proposal to support economic growth outweigh the potential benefits of the proposal.

“Therefore, the proposed is unacceptable in principle and refusal is recommended.”