New homes backed - just
A LONG-running campaign to save a greenfield site from housing has failed after councillors in Kirklees approved a controversial plan.
But the 4-3 vote in favour of building scores of houses on land at Lindley Moor came after the seven-strong panel aired concerns about a shift in allocation away from manufacturing and towards residential use.
Their comments echoed a stinging attack on developers by members of Lindley Moor Action Group, who said the move towards housing represented “abuse of intent.”
They had called on Kirklees Council to “listen to the people” and scrap the scheme.
At the strategic planning meeting at Huddersfield Town Hall members wrestled with giving up greenfield land to housing.
Lib Dem group leader Clr Andrew Pinnock said it was “very unfortunate” that the council was in danger of turning some areas that should have been used for business into “very large housing estates.”
He was supported by Conservative colleague Donald Firth who said the dearth of manufacturing coming into Kirklees was an issue that would get worse if no building sites were available.
He said: “I would like to see an even spread of manufacturing and housing. Once the land has been built on we have got a problem.”
Councillors also sought assurances that a £319,000 contribution from developers towards the costs of providing community and social infrastructure would be used for the benefit of the local community.
Officers said it would be spent on an existing recreation ground to the northeast of the site close to Peat Ponds.
In a strongly worded letter Lindley Moor Action Group compared the current plan with a former jobs-heavy application and exhorted the council to take a stand.
It stated: “This application attempts another material departure from the Urban District Plan strategy by proposing yet more housing on land allocated for employment.
“The brave new world of the 1992 draft UDP promised 2,000 permanent jobs for local people on strategic land allocated for employment as bedrock industrial regeneration.
“Contrast the 2018 reality of easy developer profits from unsustainable greenfield housing: 32 new jobs, few affordable houses for locals, commuters choking our air and roads and precious green fields transformed to dormitory wasteland.
“We have confidence that Kirklees Council will find the courage to recall their strategic mission, listen to the people, and reject this application with vigour.”
Developer Taylor Wimpey Yorkshire is now free to go ahead with building 82 detached, semi-detached and terraced dwellings on the 2.7 hectare (6.6 acre) site.