KIRKLEES councillors under pressure on Lindley Moor plans

NorwegianBlue: “KMC at least owe the residents an explanation for this complete U-turn. The interesting thing is that while they are required to give a reason for refusing planning permission they are not required to give a reason for granting permission. In other words the system is biased in favour of granting permission and therefore in favour of big business and against private citizens – the voters.

“There is a simple solution to problems such as the pressure on local amenities such as schools and traffic problems. Make the developers pay for improvements. They would soon change their minds then. But, of course, KMC won’t do that. They will instead expect council taxpayers across the region to fund things. And why exactly should council taxpayers from the other side of the district be effectively paying to subsidise a developer?

“Consider what has happened in the past with supermarket developments. Over the border in Wakefield the people of Hemsworth got a new library, school and town centre road system out of Tesco when Tesco built its new store. Why can the same thing not happen with housing developments?”

HappyH: “The council planning committee is bringing Kirklees Council into disrepute. There is also a recent case of a two turbine wind farm on greenbelt land in Thurstonland being granted against the recommendation of the planning department. How are they getting away with this? I sense national government may have to step in.”

anneb: “The said councillors who make up this so-called planning department should be publicly named and shamed. We deserve the right to know who they are.”

Gowkerer: “The planning department is a separate, supposedly independent advisory body, giving advice to Kirklees planning committee.The members are listed within the planning applications website. But I wholeheartedly agree with your sentiments that the way each member voted should be published.”

justsayozzy: “What was the turnout for the last local council elections? Less than 30%. Or was it less than 20%? If people can’t be bothered to vote then you have no basis to object to a decision made by councillors for which you did not vote for. We quite happily bomb Iraq, Libya and Afghanistan in the name of democracy yet we can’t be bothered to exercise our democratic right. The answer is quite simple. Vote for someone else or stand yourself – but don’t waste your vote.”