Plan for 128 homes will be considered today

Kirklees Council’s Strategic Planning Committee meets at 1pm to discuss Barratt David Wilson and Moonfleet Property LLP’s proposals for housing and two apartment blocks off Heathfield Lane.

Although an official decision about the plans is not likely to be made before March, committee members will get the chance to say what they think about the idea in principle.

Coun Robert Light (Con, Birstall and Birkenshaw) said that he and his ward colleagues Andrew Palfreeman and Liz Smaje, who are not members of the committee, object to the plan.

He said: “The land is allocated for industrial use, not housing use.”

They also feel that the impact on traffic would be an issue and the “serious problem” of air quality in the area could be worsened.

Coun Palfreeman is due to attend today’s meeting at Huddersfield Town Hall to speak against the plan.

Some residents also believe that the loss of space and strain on infrastructure could have a negative impact on the area.

But if the plans are approved, the developer would be made to contribute £490,051 towards education in the area through a Section 106 Agreement.

Twenty per cent of the homes proposed for the site close to the M62, would also be “affordable”.

And the developer notes that, even though the land is currently allocated for business, it is partly earmaked for homes in the council’s draft Local Plan.

The planned development includes a mix of two apartment blocks, both three storeys in height, and houses.

Two areas of public open space have also been incorporated into the proposals.