Green light for new 250-home housing estate
JUST days after it formally adopted its ambitious and controversial Local Plan to deliver 31,000 homes across the borough, Kirklees Council has given the green light to a new housing estate.
More than 250 homes will be built on land at Gernhill Avenue in Fixby.
Local residents who objected to the scheme said it would cause “irreversible damage” to the area and criticised it as “a short-term, commercially-driven opportunity”.
They urged planning chiefs: “Study your consciences”.
However the scheme was approved by a 4-2 vote, with one abstention.
Speaking on behalf of the Fixby Residents’ Organisation, which has campaigned against the development for ten years, spokesman Paul Oldfield said the area was already densely populated and could not accommodate any highvolume development.
And he accused the council of demonstrating a contradictory approach to building by sacrificing green belt and ignoring brownfield sites whilst professing to protect green belt and urban green spaces from “unwelcome development”.
“We do not dispute that house building is required in Kirklees but ‘exceptional circumstances’ have to be demonstrated to allocate green belt land for development.
“These have never been provided and we cannot see any reason for clearly contravening planning commitments by prioritising green open space development over other site use.”
There was a mixed response from Labour councillors sitting on the Strategic Planning Committee in Huddersfield Town Hall.
The Labour group – which has a majority on the council – voted enmasse last month to support the adoption of the Local Plan.
Clr Mohan Sokhal (Lab, Greenhead) said it was “too early” to look at the project so soon after the Local Plan was adopted and that it required “more time” for debate.
But his ward colleague Clr Carole Pattison (Lab, Greenhead) disagreed that the plan was being “rushed through”.
Clr Donald Firth ( Holme Valley South), for the Conservatives, accused the council of covering over green belt “and that I do not like one bit.”
He added: “I cannot agree with all this building on the green belt. Once you start covering up green fields you’re not going to get that back.” And he warned the size of the development would mean local roads would be “infested with vehicles”.
His party colleague Clr Donna Bellamy (Con, Colne Valley) said: “I’m wondering whether anybody read the Local Plan properly. I cannot support this either. It’s a green belt site.” Committee chairman Clr Steve Hall (Lab, Heckmondwike) acknowledged the application’s proximity to the adoption of the Local Plan.
“Something has always got to be first. There are going to be winners and there are going to be losers.
“This won’t go down well but I think it’s a good application.”
Speaking after the decision a disappointed Mr Oldfield said it directly contravened everything that the Local Plan set out to achieve.
And he expressed concern about another huge housing plan in nearby Rastrick for 780 homes, which, when added to the Fixby development and the 1,500 houses earmarked for Bradley Park Golf Course, would put “immense” pressure on local roads.
“The development is unwelcome.”
We cannot see any reason
for clearly contravening planning commitments by prioritising green open space development over
other site use.