Kirklees Community Action Network urges support for anti-LDF candidates in May’s Kirklees Council election

CAMPAIGNERS have urged voters to back any candidate who opposes a controversial planning framework.

Members of Kirklees Council last week backed the Local Development Framework (LDF) which could lead to 22,470 new homes in the district by 2028.

Kirklees Community Action Network (KCAN) which wants a lower house-building target, has urged voters to back politicians who oppose the LDF.

Labour, the Lib Dems and Holme Valley North independents Clr Terry Lyons and Clr Edgar Holroyd-Doveton, voted for the framework at last week’s meeting.

The Conservatives and Greens voted against it.

KCAN members decided to back any candidate in May’s Kirklees election who opposes the LDF.

Spokesman Robert Bamforth said: “KCAN has always said it would work with any political party that shared its views and, following the council vote, there is an expectation that KCAN will now work with the Conservative and Green parties.

“However, it is important to note that KCAN remains fundamentally a non-party-political network and KCAN’s door will always remain open to the other parties.

“The ‘tactical’ election support position is only for May’s local elections – primarily to defeat the LDF as it stands and preserve green fields and the green belt.”