Plan to graze horses on former sewage site refused

Plans to graze horses on land previously used to treat sewage have been rejected over animal safety concerns.

An applicant had hoped to use a former Yorkshire Water site off Spa Lane in Ossett as pasture land for up to five horses.

But a planning officer's report to Wakefield Council raised the risk of soil being contaminated with harmful toxic metals including arsenic and mercury.

The council said the application failed to show the site was safe for grazing due to its "historic use for the drying of sludge associated with the former Ossett sewage works".

The 1.7-hectare site next to the M1 was part of a wastewater treatment facility.

The planning report said part of the land was used to "allow sewage sludge to dewater (dry out) and reduce microbial activity", according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

It added: "The levels of heavy metals in sewage sludge are dependent on the nature of the industrial effluent that was discharged to and treated at the works."

An animal welfare officer also raised concerns, saying horses' long-term health could be affected if they were allowed onto the land.

The report said: "The officer noted that there are four heavy metals that can cause threat, which are arsenic, mercury, lead and aluminium.

"It was also noted that there is a chance that the horses can end up derogated for either human consumption or pet food, which poses risk to human and other animal health."

Concerns were also raised over animals being affected by pollution coming from the M1.

Ten members of the public objected to the application, made by John Brooksbank, raising concerns over flooding as the land lies close to a watercourse which was regularly waterlogged.

Four previous applications at the site during the last decade, which included plans for a builder's yard and stables, were all refused on the grounds of it being inappropriate for the greenbelt.

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