More time for builders after muddy hell

Huddersfield-based One17 Design had permission to put a temporary stone track onto a field near Chapel Hill for construction vehicles to access the Woodcock Hall development site, where a home is being built.

But with the planning permission set to run out at the end of the month, it was a race against time to get rid of the track, and contractors began removing it on Monday.

And after recent bad weather, the field was boggy, which caused vehicles taking the track from the field to trail mud along the road.

Coun Vivien Lees-Hamilton, visited the area shortly after the work began on Monday morning, and said surrounding roads were awash with mud.

She said: “I have seen mud on a road before, but this really took the biscuit. It was unbelievable.

“The problem was the planning permission for the track was going to run out soon, so they had no choice but to start taking it out.”

A road sweeper was called out that afternoon to clear the roads. A council enforcement officer extended the deadline until the spring, giving them more chance to take the track out during dry weather.

Contractor Richard Haigh, who also owns the field, said: “As the planning permission was up soon, we started taking out the track on Monday.

“We got a road-sweeper out as soon as we could – and we are pleased the council has extended the deadline, because we can now take out the track in dry weather.”