Campaigners fighting plans for new homes in Mirfield

A planning application has been submitted to Kirklees Council to develop 48 houses on a green field site off Northorpe Lane in Mirfield.

But residents have expressed strong opposition to the proposal, claiming it would have a detrimental impact on the local area.

Nick Waind, from the Save Northorpe group, said: “A meeting was held for residents opposing this application on Wednesday, August 7. Considering the very short time since this application became known to residents who take time to check on the Kirklees Planning portal, an attendance of nearly 60 residents, at a rough count, was very encouraging.

“Information on the objection process was presented and the overwhelming view in the meeting is that Northorpe Lane cannot support the additional traffic due to its narrowness and the various blind junctions that exist in the local traffic network.

“We also disagree with sacrificing a green field and its environment before choosing to develop on brown land, while there are also questions around how so few local residents were aware of the process and decision by which the green field was very recently removed from the greenbelt.

“It is a development that would fundamentally change the rural nature of Northorpe - this development is incompatible with the numerous equestrian activities and liveries which use Northorpe and Crossley Lanes.

“There are concerns around flooding in Northorpe and around wholly inadequate infrastructure in the district – the failure of Kirklees Council to move ahead with the much touted Cooper Bridge congestion alleviation scheme got a mention at the meeting, as did the familiar ‘three routes into and out of Mirfield’ argument and they are all queued excessively for commuters in addition to at weekends too.

“Of most concern is that there is very little time for residents to lodge their objections before the deadline in writing or via the Kirklees planning website of Sunday, August 25.

“The Sunday deadline effectively means that postal objections should arrive by Friday, August 23 just to be on the safe side.”

A Kirklees Council spokesperson said: “The comments we receive on any planning application always form part of the Planning Committee’s decision making process.

“This particular application is still at the consultation stage. After the consultation has ended, a report will go to the Planning Committee.”