Green belt homes plan under spotlight

pub), land at the edge of Clayton West behind Park Mill and the former North Bierley waste water plant at Cleckheaton.

The planned ‘permanent’ travellers sites at Ridings Road, Dewsbury, and adjacent to the Showcase de Luxe cinema at Birstall, will also be reviewed.

The hearings at the Hudawi Centre, which are open to the public, continue tomorrow with the most controversial plan, housing on Bradley Park Golf Course, to be discussed in the afternoon.

Development plans for a number of green belt areas in Lepton are also on the agenda.

Thursday will see a large number of small and medium-sized housing estate plans around Huddersfield discussed, while Friday features larger sites, including the Crosland Moor land currently occupied by Black Cat Fireworks and more development off Lindley Moor Road.

Hearings about North Kirklees sites, including Chidswell and ‘Dewsbury Riverside,’ will begin on Tuesday, February 27, at Batley Town Hall.

The Local Plan is the council’s masterplan for allocating land for new homes, new factories and offices, roads, mines and a host of other proposals.

It is aiming to find space for 31,000 new homes in the period up to 2031.

About half of the 31,000 homes already have planning permission.

Kirklees planning officials have targeted a number of large green belt sites to make up the difference, including the Bradley golf site, the Discussions on plans to allow thousands of homes on Kirklees green belt, including building on Bradley Park Golf Club, are moving along Dewsbury Riverside, a large area of green space between Mirfield and Ravensthorpe and open space at Chidswell, Dewsbury, near the M1.

The lengthy process of agreeing, consulting and reviewing the hugely complicated plan is now nearing the end.

The map was first revealed in public in the autumn of 2015 before years of negotiation and council decisions began.

Councillors agreed to forge ahead in 2016 and the public inquiry began last autumn.

The planning inspector will conclude the public hearings in the next few months before spending about six months reviewing the huge dossier in private.

A final decision is expected in late 2018.