Mirfield protest hots up

Jan 8 2009 by David Himelfield, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

PROTESTERS who say Kirklees is trying to hurry through plans for a huge development are continuing their fight today.

Councillors will decide this afternoon whether to allow building on the controversial 30-acre site on Mirfield Moor.

The scheme is known as Mirfield 25.

Developers Park Crescent want to build offices and manufacturing units along the busy A62 Huddersfield/Leeds road.

The site, off Slipper Lane, includes a retirement community for up to 344 people.

But Action Group Mirfield 25 (AGM 25) says the councillors will be considering the plans before public consultation is over.

The protesters plan to lobby the 1pm meeting at Dewsbury Town Hall.

The group says the site will increase traffic on the A62 by 1,000 cars every day.

And they believe proposed changes to the road will bring traffic chaos at the junction with Child Lane in Roberttown.

Vice-chairman Nicola Musgrave said: “We find it difficult to see how the application can be on today’s agenda in light of the public consultation dates.

“Information will be missing and comments will not have been investigated thoroughly.”

A Kirklees spokesman said all the issues were in a 20-plus page report for councillors.