Battle over at an end

borough up until 2031, was “brilliant news” for the people of Kirklees.

He said the Local Plan would be the start of a “huge boom of employment” for Kirklees, as it enabled significant economic growth and, in combination with a £1bn upgrade along Huddersfield’s part of the TransPennine rail line, made the borough a more attractive prospect for investors.

He said: “This is the conclusion of 10 years trying to update our Local Plan, where we were constantly thwarted, as were our West Yorkshire neighbours, by ever changing guidance by a series of Secretaries of State.

“However, an updated plan preserves the green belt and green areas from uncontrolled development as we will have a five-year land supply.

“It sends a critical message to investors that Kirklees is open for business.

“It empowers the council to control that development, maximising its benefits within a planned framework.

“Next year, we will be the only council in West Yorkshire and indeed the Leeds City Region to have an updated Local Plan.

“This will give Kirklees a head start in terms of development by both the public and private sectors.

“Developers are already lining up, seeking approval on the back of this news.

“Much of the land for development is in council ownership which helps the council to achieve its housing objectives quickly and it enables us to shape the housing future of Kirklees.

“The other plus of this is that we can protect our green belt and our green areas.”

Developers will now move to buy the huge plots from the council, with the Ravensthorpe site, dubbed “Dewsbury Riverside”, said to be the most likely to see homes built first.

Clr McBride said it would bring hundreds of jobs and was likely to see the small dilapidated train station moved further down the line towards Mirfield, prior to the junction to Wakefield.

It is thought the two stations could be merged at a new location in between.

Clr McBride paid tribute to the officials who drew up the masterplan and the public who spent hundreds of hours making representations over the two public consultations since the Local Plan was first revealed.

He added: “For the planning staff concerned, this is a triumph of dedication, expertise and leadership by the senior officers.

“Regeneration requires patience and dedication, but every now and then you see big result for the investment of time. This is one such day.

“We still remain impressed by the level of public participation in the examination and are firmly of the opinion that the robust challenge we witnessed at the public sessions was worthwhile and valuable to all residents in Kirklees.

“The important thing now is that we deliver, because that is the way we can protect the green belt and urban green spaces against unplanned development.”

A six-week public consultation on the changes to the Local Plan will now be held, beginning in August.

Councillors hope to ratify the final version at a meeting of the full council in early 2019.