ANGRY residents challenged a developer after trees were cut down.

The protesters feared that building work would start on land at Ellison Street, Crosland Moor - despite there being no planning permission.

Two workmen arrived on Saturday and started cutting down trees on the site at the junction with De Trafford Street.

Protester David Townend said: "When I approached the owner of the land he said he did not need planning permission to do anything he wanted to do on his own land.

"But due to the nature and dangerous manner in which the trees were being felled Kirklees highways officials had to be called.

"They were at the site on at least four occasions during the day. The police were also there."

Local Kirklees councillor Clr Mohammad Sarwar was told and went there on Sunday.

Mr Townend said: "He was met by many irate residents.

"It would seem that planning decisions mean nothing in Kirklees and developers can do as they please."

Another Crosland Moor and Netherton ward councillor, Molly Walton, said: "I and Clr Sarwar have been involved with it over the weekend because local people were ringing us up and saying the guy who owns the site is going to start building.

"He got outline planning permission to build one house there three or four years ago. That has now run out.

"But once he got the outline permission he then put in a planning application probably a year later which was refused.

"So he has no planning permission at all."

Clr Walton said she received lots of phone calls when two men appeared and started cutting the trees down.

She added: "He can clear the site. He doesn't need planning permission for that and he doesn't need planning permission to take the trees down."

She added that Kirklees Council and councillors were looking into the issue.

Clr Walton said: "They can break the law and it takes them only five minutes to break it.

"But the council has to go through the proper, laid-down procedure.

"If it didn't it would lose everything on a technicality."

A spokesman for Kirklees's planning department said: "Officers have visited the site and ascertained that the activity to clear the land of vegetation and trees did not require planning permission.

"It is therefore not a breach of planning legislation.

"Unfortunately, trees that are not subject to tree preservation orders can be removed or pruned if the owner wishes," he added.

"We have, however, contacted the last known owner to remind him that he does not have planning permission for any other development of the site.

"We will monitor things regularly, to check that no unauthorised works are being done."