DATA released for the first time by the Land Registry has revealed the overseas companies who own buildings and land in Kirklees.

The Land Registry has made data available for almost 34,000 buildings and plots of land.

It reveals UK-based ownership and shows that councils remain big property owners – Kirklees owns at least 4,827 sites while Calderdale has 952 plots.

But the data also reveals the number of overseas companies with a foot in our area, some of them are based in tax havens.

Among them is the freehold to a property on Lewisham Road in Slaithwaite, listed as the Old Town Hall, whose proprietor is Sinclair-Stott Management Ltd based in Guernsey.

Trident Trust Co (BVI) Limited, based in the British Virgin Islands is the registered address of Park Crescent Ltd, which owns land at Leeds Road and Slipper Lane in Mirfield. It has been earmarked for major development for years.

The leasehold to a property on Trinity Street, Huddersfield is owned by Springtime Investments Ltd, also based in the BVI.

The leasehold to land at New Hey Road, Huddersfield, is owned by the Support Centre at St Martins, Guernsey.

The leasehold to a single apartment at Kings Court, Kings Mill Lane, Huddersfield, is also owned by a company based in the BVI.

A Bermuda-based company owns the leasehold on a unit at Staincliffe Mill Yard in Dewsbury.

Proposed development on Slipper Lane in Mirfield - Land on the east side of Slipper Lane.
Slipper Lane in Mirfield

An Anguilla-based company owns the leasehold to three apartments on Mount Lane, Brighouse.

Land off Mill Lane, Brighouse is owned by a company with a listed address in Jersey.

A Jersey-based firm also owns Clifton House in Brighouse.

Fountaine Freehold Ltd, based in Jersey, owns the freehold to 38 properties in Brighouse – 24 on Lyndhurst Avenue, one on Lyndhurst Road, eight on Long Ridge, three on Greystone Court and two on Toothill Lane.

Cliffe Commercial Business Park, at Longroyd Bridge, is owned by a Guernsey-based company.

Land at Soothill Lane, Batley has an owner based in the Isle of Man.

Some buildings and land have foreign owners not in tax havens.

Land lying to the north of Wakefield Road, Chesilton Avenue, Oakes, owned by Meridian Healthcare Ltd, has a registered address of Alpharetta in Georgia, USA. They also own White Rose House Care Centre in Thongsbridge.

Utilities companies also own lots of infrastructure, such as 1,603 plots belonging to Yorkshire Electricity Distribution PLC, mostly electricity sub-stations. Northern Powergrid owns 266 and Yorkshire Water has 879 sites, mostly pumping stations.

Highways England Company Limited owns 226 plots.