Plans in for Maltby pit restoration

New woodland, grassland and 3.6km of public access routes are part of the plans from site owners Hargreaves.

The project to restore 173.1 hectares would involve up to 61 HGVs a day travelling to the Tickhill Road site over a six-year period.

Hargreaves said the scheme would create 20 jobs during the first six months, dropping to 14 for the following five years.

Some 1.47 million tonnes of fill and soil-making materials would be brought to the tip. It is unclear how much of the traffic would travel through Maltby itself.

And a spokesman said: “At this time it is anticipated that all, or if not the majority, of the fill material will be transported to the former colliery by road using the existing site access on the A631.

“However, where possible, Hargreaves Maltby Ltd will seek to utilise the existing rail siding at the former colliery.”

Maltby Town Council chairman Cllr Jon Carratt said members were to meet Hargreaves next week. Details about the route of traffic would be on the agenda, he added. 

Environmentalist Alice Rodgers said: “I am concerned about the lack of definition of the term suitable fill material and wonder what this is likely to include, and from where it will be imported.

“If material must be brought in, then the use of the existing railway to Maltby pit site would be very desirable.”

The finished scheme will include nearly 20 extra hectares of wood and scrubland and 23 hectares of grassland and wildflowers. Two hectares of mature woodland originally planned for removal - will be kept.

Planning documents said: “Existing features of habitat and landscape value will be largely retained with the restoration proposals being designed to supplement and complement these features.

“The scheme represents a safe, sustainable and appropriate proposal which is achievable in both a practical and economic sense and is not reliant on European, national or local government funding, which is no longer considered available.”

The pit had been expected to continue coal production until 2025 but it was forced to close three years ago after unusual geological conditions were found underground.

The remaining stocks of 20,000 tonnes of deep-mined coal and 65,000 tonnes of coal fines will be taken from the site by the end of November.

And the former pit yard will be kept for up to five years to allow other potential development proposals to be pursued.

Rotherham Borough Council is expected to decide on the reclamation scheme in September.