A councillor has warned campaigners fighting to save green fields to be vigilant despite the plans being dropped at the eleventh hour.

It is the second time house-builder Bellway Homes has failed in a bid to build on Balderstone Fields off Hepworth Lane, Mirfield.

In 1999 the developer lost a public inquiry for a new housing estate and last Thursday the firm withdrew a planning application for 135 homes.

Mirfield Tory councillor Martyn Bolt said the latest application was now “dead in the water” but a new application could be submitted at any time.

“I don’t know whether Bellway will come back with another application, that’s a matter for them, but even if it takes another decade I hope Mirfield residents will remain equally vigilant,” he said.

Hundreds of people joined a ‘No Way Bellway’ campaign in the late 1990s and that slogan was adopted again when the firm returned last year with new plans.

Re-read: Campaigners take to the skies with camera drone in battle to save Balderstone Fields

Mirfield Town councillor Steve Benson with his drone objecting to a Housing development on Balderstone fields,With his DJI phantom 1.

The latest scheme, due to go before Kirklees Council’s Strategic Planning Committee last week, had been recommended for refusal by planning officers.

It was to be rejected on highway safety grounds and concerns over drainage and old mine workings.

Councillors on the committee were left furious after the application was withdrawn in a brief e-mail from planning consultants DPP Planning, which was received just 40 minutes before the Huddersfield Town Hall meeting was due to start.

The debate on the Bellway plan was scheduled for 1pm and members of the public had booked slots to address the committee before the decision was made.

Planning officers then contacted as many people as possible to tell them the application had been withdrawn. Even so several members of the public had a wasted journey.

Save Mirfield protest march. The marchers on Taylor Hall Lane, Mirfield.

Clr Bolt said: “It is not right that a developer can pull out at the eleventh hour. Members of the public were due to speak and would have booked time off work.

“Council officers then had to ring round and tell people not to turn up. We need to give more advance notice and not disrupt people’s lives in this way.”

Planning committee chairman Clr Steve Hall told the meeting he intended to write a “strong letter” to DPP Planning.

Clr Steve Hall
Clr Steve Hall

Clr Bolt said he had been told by a planning officer that Bellway’s failed application would cost them £29,000 in fees to Kirklees.

Fees are payable by all applicants depending on the size of the plans.

Clr Bolt added: “Fees are payable on all applications and this isn’t a case of a windfall for council coffers. Fees go towards the cost of running the planning service.”

Keen cyclist Clr Bolt raised funds for campaign group Save Mirfield with a 45-mile sponsored bike ride from Balderstone near Preston to Balderstone Fields in June.

DPP Planning in Leeds declined to comment and referred questions to Bellway. No one was available to comment at Bellway Homes.