A CONTROVERSIAL housing development at Linthwaite has been granted outline planning permission.
Kirklees Council’s planning sub-committee yesterday agreed in principle to 190 homes being built at Black Rock Mills.
The decision was a huge blow to protesters, who are worried about the number of homes and the strain new inhabitants could place on local roads and services.
Kirklees Council’s Local Development Framework suggests 37,000 new homes could be built in the district in coming years.
For anyone concerned about this prospect, the Linthwaite decision sets a worrying precedent.
Many rightly ask whether these new homes are needed – especially at a time when many existing homes are being repossessed and the housing market is in a slump due to the recession.
If there is any scope for Kirklees Council to rethink their plan and say ‘no’ to the Government’s edicts, it is to be hoped they are exploring the possibility.
