Kirklees Council accused of pushing through huge Dewsbury Riverside plan

Several key developments – including a huge industrial site in Mirfield and a significant access route into the Dewsbury Riverside scheme – are set to be signed off by senior officers as planning committees are no longer meeting.

In Huddersfield three 12m-high sculptures have been earmarked for the town centre.

Critics say Kirklees Council is using the coronavirus crisis as a convenient way of making difficult decisions that freeze out dissenting voices.

It has been described as “an abdication of responsibility”.

However the council responded by saying that during the lockdown period it had “continued to make some planning decisions under the council’s scheme of delegation and constitution, where appropriate to do so.”

Planning meetings are set to resume next month.

Phase two of the industrial development at Slipper Lane in Mirfield – previously known as Mirfield25 because of its proximity to junction 25 of the M62 – was beset by 19 conditions that residents and local councillors wanted debating in a committee environment.

However those conditions are to be discharged in order that the plan can be approved.

The matter will be determined by Karl Battersby, the council’s Strategic Director for Economy and Infrastructure, under emergency powers enacted by Chief Executive Jacqui Gedman.

Councillor Martyn Bolt, who represents Mirfield for the Conservatives, described the report on the Slipper Lane development as “one of the worst I’ve ever seen.”

He added: “We couldn’t make head nor tail of it.

“It’s a contentious site. We asked for it to go to committee because it wasn’t clear what was being asked.”

However the majority of council meetings have been cancelled due to the ongoing health emergency.

Consequently the developments at Slipper Lane, at Dewsbury Riverside and relating to the former Wheelwright Centre at Dewsbury College, which is to be turned into apartments, will be determined by Mr Battersby.

Coun Bolt commented: “A lot of things can be handled via determination but major issues should still be decided in public. To do otherwise is an abdication of responsibility.

“Decisions are being made by members of staff without the knowledge of members.

“There’s no need for that. If decision-making is not done openly and transparently the public will begin to lose confidence.

“I have said for a while that the planning system needs wholesale review. That request was ignored. I don’t defend the planning system to residents unreservedly anymore.”

There was further criticism of the council’s approach from Chris Marsden, historian and former chairman of Huddersfield Civic Society.

He said the move to enhance part of Huddersfield town centre via massive metal artworks as part of the Huddersfield Blueprint was “poorly thought-through”.

He added: “Kirklees Council has found it convenient to make a non-essential planning application during the Covid-19 lockdown.

“This action allows the application [for sculptures] to reduce scrutiny by the public and local amenity and interest groups as meetings are cancelled and site inspections not allowed.”

He called for a reappraisal of the Blueprint proposals and urged the council “to engage with stakeholders in a mature manner.

“It should immediately withdraw the application and apologise for its cynical and churlish adolescent behaviour.”

A Kirklees Council spokesperson said: “Having held the first virtual Cabinet meeting on May 1, we are now setting up virtual planning committees, the first of which will be on June 3.

“As with planning committees previously, the public will be able to view the meetings and will be able to exercise their right to speak at the meeting.

“Details on how you can follow the meeting will be on our website shortly.

“In the meantime, we have continued to make some planning decisions under the council’s scheme of delegation and constitution, where appropriate to do so.”