Residents have turned on Kirklees Council – after being “left alone” to fight a housing plan.
They voiced their concerns at a planning inquiry into a proposed housing development in Skelmanthorpe.
Local people argued the plans should “empower local people, be planning led and identify needs of an area”.
But residents claim house-builder Redrow have failed to achieve those planning objectives in the house-builder’s plan for 26 homes off Strike Lane.
The inquiry got under way with an unusual format – Kirklees Council are not defending their rejection decision, something heavily criticised by residents.
Instead, residents were left to fight it alone and discovered for the first time that highway changes had been agreed by Redrow and Kirklees Council, without consultation, that will affect many residents.
Skelmanthorpe’s Frank Dolan summed up to applause: “We’ve been badly let down by the council.”
Kirklees’ own counsel, Alan Evans, admitted: “The council is fully aware that public sympathy for the council is in short supply.”
The inquiry comes seven months after councillors on the Heavy Woollen Planning Sub-Committee rejected Redrow’s application.
It was before the Local Development Framework Core Strategy – the council’s planning policy – was criticised by a Planning Inspector and withdrawn by the authority.
Since the withdrawal Redrow has lodged three appeals. The result of the first inquiry, for 54 homes in Cleckheaton, is due imminently.
Planning Inspector Anthony Lyman heard from Richard Sagar, counsel for Redrow.
Mr Sagar said: “The council cannot demonstrate a five-year housing land supply. On our figures they have 2.2 years’ supply, based on Kirklees figures they have 3.3 years, either way there is a dramatic shortfall.
“All these homes are needed anyway in order to meet the council’s housing requirement.”
But residents said there were other considerations Mr Lyman should consider.
Traffic and access to Strike Lane was described as “hazardous” by John Forbisher. Sustainability was questioned and Robert Bamforth said that Kirklees faced an “assault” on its provisional open land.
“Trying to recover the non-deliverability of homes against a background of national recession is nonsense,” he said.
Richard Graham spoke of flooding fears while Frank Dolan questioned the “natural justice” the planning inspector referred to when he dismissed the adjournment plea.
Clr Charles Greaves, Holme Valley North Independent, said: “One of the problems facing this country is developers sitting on planning applications. Where planning applications are agreed they should be developed.”
Phil Owen, highway expert, said measures included a 30m radius of double yellow lines, the ‘give way’ line pushed further out into Station Road and new kerb lines to improve visibility.
