Fifteen new homes for families and first-time buyers approved in Batley, despite concerns about increased traffic

Kirklees Council’s planning sub-committee for the Heavy Woollen area saw an application for 15 new homes at a site between West Park Lane and Healey Lane.

The homes are proposed for families and first-time buyers and are a mixture of semi-detached and detached properties.

The application sought outline planning permission for approval of the principle of development and how the site will be accessed – via Healey Lane.

Another application relating to further details such as design and layout will need to be approved before work can take place.

However, during the planning process, concerns were raised by two residents and Batley West ward councillors Lowe and Pandor.

The councillors both felt that the number of proposed homes was too high and were concerned about highway safety and additional traffic causing more congestion.

Coun Lowe was unable to attend the meeting due to illness in the family. However, Coun Ammar Anwar (Labour, Dewsbury West) was disappointed that Council Leader Shabir Pandor hadn’t attended the meeting to tell the committee of his concerns in person.

Committee members Coun Mark Thompson (Con, Birstall and Birkenshaw) and Coun John Lawson (Lib Dem, Cleckheaton) wanted assurance that highway safety issues that could arise from the development would have minimal impact on the nearby junior school.

Coun Lawson hoped a condition could be implemented for the development, restricting the time heavy vehicles could pass the school.

Despite the fears, the council’s highways safety department felt that suitable measures had been realised to address the problems of speeding and parking on Healey Lane.

A £350,000 contribution from the developer is required for three new speed bumps as well as £7,500 for a Traffic Regulation Order and £35,000 for traffic calming measures.

Damien Hartley, an architect and development consultant for the applicant, told the meeting: “I believe Batley is crying out for new quality houses and economic investment and new finance capital is key.

“In the recently announced £12m Levelling Up Fund that was granted to Batley specifically, it was announced by Coun Pandor who has commented on this application that he’s seeking £60m of new economic investment to revive the town.

"I’m from Batley myself so I do know that it is in desperate need to be revived.

“This would contribute roughly a £3m housing development into the future economic growth of Batley that will obviously filter down into the local economy, create new jobs to actually build the scheme out and there will be new opportunities off the back of this new development.”

Mr Hartley explained that the applicant had purchased this site from Kirklees Council in an auction, along with one other that has already been developed.

He said that the council already had planning permission to bring 15 homes to the undeveloped Healey Lane site but sold the site to his client at auction.

The committee opted to approve the application, although an application for full planning permission will have to be decided at a later date.