Why Ministry Have Stopped Conisbrough Housing Project

November 1946

South Yorkshire Times, November 2, 1946

£1000 Site Hitch
Why Ministry Have Stopped Conisbrough Housing Project

Conisbrough Urban Council were asked Wednesday by Counc. F. Kelsall whether it was a fact that the Ministry of town and country planning would not allow the council to use the land for housing which they had paid £1,000.

Crookhill Road Site.

He was referring to a site in Crook Hill Road, Conisbrough, and the chairman, Councillor D. Sheldon, J. E. Replied that the refusal was due partly because the land was agricultural, partly because it was situated in the green belt and partly because the new road was going through the site.

Councillor Kelsall suggested that the council should have obtained further advice before they spent £1000, but the chairman reported that they had to obtain land before they could build upon it. The particular land in question was for sale by auction and if they had waited for authority they would never have got the land. Part of the land could be built upon and perhaps if they had not obtained the land they would not have had the opportunity of securing adjoining land.

Councillor G. Cheshire explained that the council had been advised that the land they had purchased would be obtained at the least cost to the council and that it would be the lease cost to develop. “The stumbling block is the trunk road,” Councillor Cheshire declared. “Whether it will ever mature only time will tell. The county should be approached to get the position clarified.”

Councillor Kelsall: The trunk road has been on the boards for 25 years.

The housing committee reported that they had been informed by the surveyor (Mr A. W. R. Taylor) that he had interviewed most of the owners with respect to the Windmill Farm site, the alternative to the Crookhill Road site, which had been abandoned for the present. Plan showing the respective areas concerned, amounting to 22,166 acres, had now been submitted to the Ministry of Town & Country Planning for their approval.

County Counc. B. Roberts, J. P stated that the council had now met a County Council representative regarding the ambulance service for the urban district, and they had been promised that an ambulance would be provided, but it had not yet arrived.

The County Medical Officer is to be asked why the ambulance promised has not arrived.

Broadcast Relay Services, Ltd., are to be granted, county council. Roberts explained, commission to undertake the operation of a re-diffusion service in the urban area.

County Council Roberts also reported that the County Medical Officer was to be asked for full details, including financial arrangements, of the home help scheme.

Regret was expressed by Counc. Collins that further progress had not been made in connection with the Council’s demand for an enquiry into the increased fares being charged by the Mexborough and Swinton traction Co Ltd. The chairman reported that an acknowledgement had been received from the Ministry of transport to the council’s request. The council were not going to let it stop at that, but were pressing for a meeting. Counc. Collins said there was considerable dissatisfaction, particularly among the mine workers of the district.