Split decision not enough to stop Holmfirth homes plan ‘accident waiting to happen’

A housing development criticized as an “accident waiting to happen” has been approved by Kirklees Council this afternoon (May 9).

Holmfirth residents have lodged 50 objections in an effort to demonstrate the strength of feeling against plans to bring five houses onto land behind numbers five and seven in Oakes Lane, Brockholes. Despite this, the panel opted to vote in favor of the council officer’s recommendations to approve the application.

Today’s decision granted “outline” planning permission, meaning another application will have to be set at a later date. In this case, it will refer to the landscaping. However, the panel disagreed with three councilors voting to approve and four voting to defer the application.

The deciding vote to approve the plans was cast by committee chairman Cllr Sheikh Ullah (Labour, Greenhead).

Read more:Women warn of Kirklees ‘Tinder Swindler’ who ‘love’ bombed them using terrifying method to swindle £80,000

A previous application saw seven homes proposed for the site, but this was deemed to be an “overdevelopment”, with the number subsequently reduced. The claimant’s agent Nick Willock attended the meeting, speaking in support of the plans.

Summing up, he said: “This application would provide a much-needed small development of five homes which will contribute to the council’s chronic housing shortage and also prevent the need for an equivalent area of ​​green belt land in the future revision of the Local Plan. “

Nick also addressed concerns surrounding the footpath for children on their way to school, which is in close proximity to an access road which was previously described as an ‘accident waiting to happen’ by a resident who oppose. He told the meeting that the road had been gifted to the local community by his clients’ family and that its existence was a “bonus, not a problem”.

Ward councilor Charles Greaves (Holme Valley North, Independent) also spoke at the meeting. He asked the commission to defer the application and request that the proposed three-storey properties be changed to two storeys and that the number of dwellings be reduced from five to four to allow for more spacing between them.

He said: “The proposal has come a long way since it first came to us two years ago – they have dropped from seven to five, looked at improving public right of way and tackled highways issues. I’m thinking a little bit further and we’ll end up with something that’s going to be acceptable all the way around.”

Committee member Cllr Donna Bellamy (Con, Holme Valley North) said she had some concerns about the application. She agreed with Councilor Greaves’ proposal to reduce the number of dwellings to improve spacing between houses and said three-storey houses would look “very out of place”.

Councilor John Lawson (Lib Dem, Cleckheaton) said it was “remarkable” how much work had been done by the developer to address concerns raised with the original app. However, the councilor was not satisfied with the “dominance” of three-story properties.

Councilor Eric Firth (Labour, Dewsbury East) felt differently and said “I think it’s an innovative use of a very difficult site and I think almost all angles have been covered.” The councilor moved that the application be approved and this was seconded by Cllr James Homewood (Labour, Ashbrow).

However, Cllr Bellamy moved that the application be postponed, this being seconded by Cllr Imran Safdar (Kirklees Community Independents, Crosland Moor and Netherton).

When it came to a vote, three committee members – Cllr Mohan Sokhal (Labour, Greenhead), Cllr Firth, Cllr Homewood and Cllr Ullah – voted to approve the application and four – Cllr Bellamy, Cllr Safdar, Cllr Lawson and Cllr Tony McGrath (Con, Holme Valley North) – voted to postpone it.

Get all the latest and breaking Huddersfield news straight to your inbox Sign up for our daily newsletter here.