Victory to the campaigners!

democracy?” he asked.

Chairman of the action group Jonathan Adamson said: “The issue before you is simple – the public have used this path for as long as anyone can remember and for at least the last 60 years.”

Mike Woodward, chairman of Marsh Community Forum, added: “It’s a rare undeveloped space in an otherwise densely populated area. It contains footpaths and wildlife.”

Despite the absence of the three, a vote to support the right of way application was unanimously approved.

Councillors were told by Kirklees officers that they now considered there was sufficient evidence of rights of way, even though one had never been officially recorded.

Clr Rob Walker said: “From the evidence we’ve seen, I think there is evidence to record a footpath.”

Clr Andrew Marchington added: “There is clear evidence that paths have been used over a significant period of time.”

Mr Magee said it wasn’t clear why the council shifted position from opposing the plan to supporting it.

“I think the inspector had some influence,” he added.

The long-running and complex issue of Clayton Fields has been going on for more than 20 years.

The battle to save the green space from housing firms was lost at the Supreme Court in February 2014 after residents’ claims that it was an official ‘Village Green’ were declared invalid by a judge.

A planning application was approved and land owner Prospect Estates began clearing the site in late 2016, with homes being marketed through estate agents Simon Blyth.

Last autumn the action group succeeded in getting a second developer, Seddon Homes Ltd, to open a gate to access one of the routes – following lobbying by Huddersfield MP Barry Sheerman, ward councillors and Chris Sutcliffe, deputy headteacher at St Patrick’s School at Birkby.

The land remains undeveloped and, having been cleared of vegetation in readiness for building work, has become grassed over again.