Mill ponds could be lost
35-YEAR BATTLE TO SAVE HISTORIC LANDMARK MAY BE OVER
A PLAN to concrete over 200-yearold historic mill ponds in Huddersfield has moved a step closer.
The controversial Newsome Mill ponds housing proposal has finally been submitted more than four years after Kirklees councillors unanimously rejected the plan.
Local residents had been in a battle to protect the 19th century ponds from developers since 1985 and were pleased to see planning chiefs reject three separate attempts to build on the site between 2007 and 2017.
In January, 2017, the 15-strong committee of councillors unanimously agreed the ponds should be saved after fears of cellars flooding should the historic network of drainage beneath the ponds and mill be filled in.
But six months later developer Benjamin Bentley and Partners took the matter to appeal and won.
A government appointed planning inspector ruled that 22 houses could be built on the plot home to a 200-year-old network of ponds and subterranean water courses constructed to serve the adjacent mill.
The mill itself was destroyed by fire in 2016 amid a proposal to convert it into houses and flats.
Almost four years on and housing firm Urban Developments (York) Ltd has submitted a full application to build the homes.
Planning documents show a cul-de-sac arrangement will be constructed over the ponds with eight sets of semi-detached homes created and two three-home terraces.
Sixteen of the homes will be three bed and six are two bed.
The application appears to show a row of trees and area of open space will be retained.
The plan is open for public comment until June 8 and is likely to be decided by a planning committee this summer.