OFFICIALS have brought forward a key planning decision to "subvert democracy", according to a Huddersfield politician.

Kirklees Council will hold an extraordinary meeting on March 6 about its Local Development Framework (LDF).

The controversial blueprint could lead to 22,470 new homes in the district in the next 15 years.

Councillors had been due to decide on the LDF in June.

This week it emerged that the meeting has been brought forward by three months – but council officials last night refused to reveal why.

Conservative Ashbrow candidate Bill Armer believes the LDF decision has been brought forward to avoid a backlash from voters at this year’s Kirklees elections in May.

"The timing of the March 6 meeting seems to me to be suspicious and unduly rushed," he said yesterday.

In November the ruling Labour group and the opposition Lib Dems and Greens agreed in principle to back the deal for 22,470 new homes, including hundreds of houses on green belt land in south Dewsbury and at Chidswell, between Dewsbury and Batley.

The Conservatives support a proposal for 18,000 new homes by 2028 – none of them on green belt land.

Mr Armer believes council officials are trying to rush through the decision ahead of a possible Conservative victory in this year’s Kirklees elections.

"The May 3 elections may well alter the balance of power in the council," he said.