Ferret readers will be aware of Independent Hemsworth Town Council being subjected to enforcement action by Wakefield District Council’s planning department with regards to the infamous free storage unit, that was erected without both Planning and Building control permission despite continued and detailed reasons from the former Chair of the Council Jim Kenyon, that none was necessary.
That may be the case in Kenyon Land but in the real world both are required as Hemsworth Town Council found out to our cost.
Rather than comply with its demolition they have gone to the extreme length to employ “Planning Experts” to challenge the decision.
Johnson Mowat Planning Ltd
Coronet House
Leeds
LS1 2TW
Ferret decided to take a closer look at the application and has become somewhat alarmed at some of the claims made by the experts in answers to required questions.
For example:
Planning Portal Reference: PP-11102968Assessment of Flood Risk
Is the site within an area at risk of flooding?
Answer
No
Is your proposal within 20 metres of a watercourse (e.g. river, stream or beck)?
Answer
No
However the letter from Wakefield Council Drainage doesn’t agree with Hemsworth Town Councils “experts” and also our local knowledge of the Kinsley area:
Consultee Comments for Planning Application 22/00509/FUL
Application Summary
Application Number: 22/00509/FUL
Address: Hemsworth Water Park Hoyle Mill Road Kinsley Pontefract WF9 5JB
Proposal: Retrospective Planning Application for the Erection of a Storage Unit
Case Officer: Amanda Broadhead
Consultee Details
Name: Wakefield Council Drainage
Address: Create, Wakefield One, Burton Street, Wakefield WF1 2EB
Email: Not Available
On Behalf Of: Drainage Section (WMDC)
Comments
This site is located within flood zone (3 high risk) so a flood risk assessment should be provided to
demonstrate that the development is appropriate. The advice for flood risk assessments on the
gov.uk website should be followed. That is also a watercourse which runs close to the site and then beneath it in a culvert. The line of the culvert and its proximity to the building our not known. The line of the culvert should be determined and it should be demonstrated that there is adequate stand-off from the building to the line of the culverted watercourse. There is no assessment of the surface water runoff from the building nor information about how any increase in runoff is mitigated.
I would request that planning permission is not granted until the above matters have been
satisfactorily resolved.
Steve Lister
Senior Engineer – Development Flood Risk
Land Drainage & Flood Risk Management
Highways & Transport Services
Communities, Environment & Climate Change
So that says it all, and explicitly asks that planning permission is refused until the issues mentioned are resolved.
Unfortunately it does not end there, Ferret believes there is also a few porkies being told further on in the application with respect to “contamination” or “suspected contamination” of the land.
Extract:
Does the proposal involve any of the following? If Yes, you will need to submit an appropriate contamination assessment with your application.
Land which is known to be contaminated
Answer
No
Land where contamination is suspected for all or part of the site
Answer
No
Really? Isn’t the building suspected of being built over contaminated tipped material?
Ferret and local people believe that Hemsworth Town Council are also aware that a protected species of Bats are resident in the Waterpark and need consideration before any works take place yet here are some more answers that give cause for concern.
Is there a reasonable likelihood of the following being affected adversely or conserved and enhanced within the application site, or on land adjacent to or near the application site?
To assist in answering this question correctly, please refer to the help text which provides guidance on determining if any important biodiversity or geological conservation features may be present or nearby; and whether they are likely to be affected by the proposals.
a) Protected and priority species on the development site on land adjacent to or near the proposed development
Answer
No
b) Designated sites, important habitats or other biodiversity features on the development site on land adjacent to or near the proposed development
Answer
No
Planning Portal Reference: PP-11102968
PP-11102968
Application for Planning Permission
Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended)
Publication of applications on planning authority websites
I / We agree to the outlined declaration
Signed
Sam Ruthven
Date
08/03/2022
Planning Portal Reference: PP-11102968
As you can see the application is signed and dated that they agree with the declaration.
Ferret wonders how much this firm of experts is going to cost us, who recommended them and where their qualification certificates are stored?