Kirklees Council’s LDF plan set for next step

The full council agreed on the key principles of the Local Development Framework (LDF).

Kirklees Council has called an extraordinary full council meeting on March 6 to formally adopt its Local Development Framework (LDF). But campaigners opposed to the plan have not given up their fight.

Newly formed umbrella group Kirklees Community Action Network (KCAN) is in talks with police about holding a march or assembly on the day of the meeting.

Many of its associated campaign groups are also expected to make last-minute arguments for changes to the LDF.

Chidswell Action Group (CAG) chairman Rod Lilley said: “We lost the battle in November, but the war is only just beginning now.”

The LDF sets out targets for creating thousands of homes and jobs over the next 20 years.

The key principles were agreed in November when the council said it could not adopt the plan until the government abolished its regional spatial strategy. But it says the legal position has now changed.

Council officer Jacqui Gedman said: “It is important that we act decisively to make progress on this plan, as every day without it puts our district at risk from unplanned development.”

KCAN’s Robert Bamforth said: “We feel the council is rushing this decision.

“The old plan, the Unitary Development Plan, is still valid until it is replaced. I don’t think it opens up the council to developers running amok.”

If the LDF is adopted on March 6, people will have six weeks to make representations.

It is then expected to be passed on to a government planning inspector in early summer.

Meanwhile, scrapping the current LDF is to be a key policy in the Kirklees Conservative election campaign.

KCAN is a non-political organisation but some campaign groups, including CAG, have said they will back the Tories at the elections in May.

FEBRUARY 21, 2012

The latest LDF policies and papers will be published on the Kirklees Council website.

MARCH 2, 2012

The deadline for individuals and organisations to register an intention to speak at the extraordinary council meeting.

Deputations will be limited to five minutes and new issues which have arisen since the November 23 meeting.

Email [email protected] or phone 01484 221715 to register.

MARCH 6, 2012

An extraordinary full council meeting will be held at Huddersfield Town Hall from 5pm.

Kirklees Community Action Network is planning a march or assembly beforehand.