Green light for redevelopment at Britain’s oldest colliery
UK COAL has been given the green-light to develop a 300-acre former colliery site in West Yorkshire that will see the creation of 1,000 new jobs when built.
Around 900 new homes, restaurants, cafes, community centre, parkland and a business and commercial park with be at the hub of the regenerated Prince of Wales colliery near Wakefield
Wakefield Council has already approved planning permission for the development but because of its size and scale the application had to be referred to the Secretary for State.
However, Hazel Blears has since confirmed that government intervention “would not be justified”.
Mining activities on the site, located adjacent to J32 of the M62 and close to the M1 and A1, ceased in August 2002.
Following initial discussions, a unique partnership was forged in 2006 between Doncaster-based UK Coal, Wakefield Council and other organisations with the objective of the site being developed as the gateway to a five-town renaissance in West Yorkshire.
Jon Lloyd, UK Coal’s chief executive, said: “The decision by the Secretary of State now paves the way for the regeneration of an area with excellent communication links, a versatile and enthusiastic workforce and a community with a desire to move forward.”
A spokesman said however that it was unlikely that any work would start on the development until 2011 as a result of the worsening economic climate.
“Preparations for site development activities are in hand, though the start date for the housing development will remain under regular review due to the continued fragile state of the housing market,” UK Coal said.
Meanwhile, work on removing a further 1.5 million tonnes of coal slurry from the site will continue with the coal dust being sold to nearby power stations.
UK Coal is also waiting for approval on a new community development of around 4,000 homes with associated community facilities, schools, green areas and lakes on the 700acre former Orgreave-Waverley surface mine site between Rotherham and Sheffield.
An advanced manufacturing park attracting high tech industries is currently being developed and other business and commercial centres are also planned.
Plans for a 5,000 home “ecotown” on UK Coal’s 300-acre former Rossington Colliery site near Doncaster have been submitted following an extensive round of public consultation in the South Yorkshire mining village.
A government decision on its proposed ecotown developments is expected next spring.
