CONTROVERSIAL plans to make greenfield sites available to industry have been defended by Kirklees Council chiefs.
They have warned that proposals to change the way central government funds local councils from business rates make it imperative that the district promote inward investment to the area to create jobs and maintain council services.
At present, local authorities collect business rates on behalf of Whitehall and, after that money is pooled, they receive a proportion back to help pay for council services.
Last year, Kirklees collected £92.2m in business rates and received £123.3m in grant.
Under the government proposals, councils will be allowed to retain business rates raised in their own area – which would mean a £31.1m gap in funding for Kirklees based on the 2009-10 business rate take.
The government said the changes would reverse decades of centralisation and provide an incentive to local authorities to foster economic growth.
The news comes as Kirklees planners look to determine the latest application for housing at Lindley Moor – close to a Data Centre, which already has planning permission, and with plans for future commercial schemes.
And major developments in the so-called Northern Gateway – stretching from Birkby to Ainley Top – are included in proposals already mooted for the future.
All will be considered as the council looks to draw up a planning blueprint, covering new housing and commercial and industrial schemes.
Kirklees council leader Mehboob Khan said the proposals, which went out to consultation this summer, highlighted the need to build up more businesses and generate more jobs at a time when government cuts were hitting public sector employment. And that meant providing sites attractive to business and close to motorway connections.
Kirklees has earmarked land at Ainley Top, Cooper Bridge and Chidswell, near Dewsbury, as major sites for business.
Clr Khan said: “Over the past 10 years, for every seven jobs created in Kirklees, six have been in the public sector and only one in the private sector.
