A PUBLIC inquiry will be held next month over plans to develop a former Huddersfield garage site.

Countryside Properties have lodged an appeal against the Kirklees Council decision not to let them develop the former premises of Hepworth Honda in Queen Street South.

Now a two-day public inquiry has been ordered by the Department of the Environment.

It will be held on May 9 and 10 at Huddersfield Methodist Mission.

Representatives of the developer and the council will present their case to an inspector, appointed by the Secretary of State.

Countryside Properties applied for permission to build a block of 119 flats at the former motor showroom and workshop site.

The Essex-based company is now appealing to the Government after Kirklees Council refused plans to let them build the seven-storey block.

A previous application, for 140 flats had previously been rejected.

The first plans were refused in January 2005.

Councillors were still not impressed with the plans for fewer flats. They said problems included parking and access.

The council's final grounds for refusal were: "The proposed development, by virtue of its design, scale and building, would create an over-dominant and incongruous feature in the street scene.

"It would fail to respect the character and appearance of surrounding development, including the adjacent Grade II listed Priestroyd and Fairfield mills."

The developers argue that the proposed building had been designed carefully to reflect the established character of the surroundings.

They also claim mill buildings across the road to the proposed site are substantial enough not to be dominated by any new development.