A BID to build five houses in the Blacklands has been refused over mining concerns.

An application for the erection of five terraced houses, including associated car parking, bin storage and garden ground at 1A Blacklands Crescent was refused by planning chiefs last week.

Refusal was made due to the continued failure to submit a Coal Mining Risk Assessment within an area designated as being of High Risk by The Coal Authority, with NAC saying the extent of historic coal mining hazards below the site are unknown.

The refusal notice states: “The precautionary principle must therefore be adopted since no risk assessment has been undertaken, potentially resulting in adverse effects on the stability of housing and the surrounding land, all to the detriment of the amenity of the area."

The application also received one objection, saying it was ‘incorrect’ to say that the applicant own all the property, stating: “We have maintained this land for the past twenty year, including regularly cutting the grass and so why the applicant was unaware of our ownership is confusing.”