Mud on Mirfield road demonstrates council’s unwillingness to enforce planning conditions says councillor

One vocal critic says the issue highlights Kirklees Council’s unwillingness to enforce planning conditions laid down in agreements with developers.

Photographs and video show lorries exiting the massive Mirfield 25/Moor Park site at Mirfield and leaving trails of mud on the A62 Leeds Road.

The problem has gone on for more than a year.

And during the recent cold weather both Leeds Road and nearby Slipper Lane were covered in ice as a result of what has been blamed on the prolonged discharge of effluent from the 15-acre building site.

Potentially hazardous conditions caused by the mess have been raised several times by Coun Martyn Bolt (Con, Mirfield).

He said that it was a planning condition on the residential site operated by Wetherby-based Caddick Developments that a wheel wash was in place.

That facility has not been installed – and the council has not enforced it.

Coun Bolt believes the council’s reluctance to act is indicative of a wider malaise around planning enforcement.

He described the situation as “an absolute breach of highway law” and that the council has failed to take enforcement action to prevent the law being broken.

He has called on the authority to take responsibility and action “immediately” to ensure that the council complies with its own planning conditions and agreements “and to ascertain why planning enforcement staff have again not acted decisively”.

Businessman Mark Town, who lives opposite the building site, said footpaths were “a total disgrace”, nearby roads were “dangerous” and drains were blocked by dirt on a weekly basis

He added: “They have not once used a wheel wash.

“I personally spent two full days sweeping and shovelling over three wheelbarrows full of muck and rubble from the path that runs the full length of Mirfield 25 .

“The roadsweeper only comes every now and again, only does the bare minimum and because there is that much mud coming from the site it cannot keep up.”

Martyn Burke, who lives on Slipper Lane, said he and other residents were “just starting to suffer” similar problems.

He accused council staff of “apathy” over failing to take enforcement action.

Senior councillor and Cabinet member Coun Naheed Mather (Lab, Dalton) said she was “extremely disappointed” with Clr Bolt’s stance.

She said a road sweeper was on site from 7.30am each morning to clean the road surface.

Council staff who visited the site said the road surface was “acceptable” when they attended.

She said if further works were required to clear the carriageway then that would be charged back to the developer.

She added: “There will be occasions where there is dirt on the road when vehicles leave the site whilst the developer’s road sweeper is elsewhere.

“The feedback from officers is that the vehicle is returning and clearing the highway to a satisfactory level and in a satisfactory timeframe.”