Plan passed despite big farm worry

Paxton told the committee Barnsley Road – a busy route from the M1 to Huddersfield – was basically a “cart track” and could not handle any more traffic.

“How can the farm bring machinery to this new access and get in without causing major problems?” he asked. “It can’t.” he answered.

Fellow parish councillor Lin Holroyd said the biggest farm vehicles may have to drive all the way up to Grange Moor roundabout and back – a threemile detour – so they could turn left into the property.

Resident John Pitts said it was “diabolical” that developers were going to “spoil the village.”

Another villager, Dave Coates, told the committee over 100 people attended a meeting to object to the proposal.

Mr Coates said he walked along the road every day and the traffic was “horrendous.”

Committee member, Clr Richard Smith, proposed the plan was refused.

He said: “The current road is busy enough and we’re talking about 90 new vehicles.

“To make it even worse we have a second access point where we’re proposing to let farm vehicles turn about 200 times a year.”

But fellow members of the committee said they feared further expensive appeals as the principle of developing the site had already been established by the planning inspectorate.

The plan was approved with a condition to improve the keep clear road markings adjacent to the entrance.

The site will now be developed by Persimmon’s upmarket Charles Church brand.