Tories have attacked the Local Plan in north Kirklees.

The new plan which will provide land for homes up to 2031 allocates substantial new housing in Birstall and Birkenshaw using greenbelt land and business and industry land.

As well as allocating important business land at junction 27 for a permanent traveller site, the plan proposes two big housing developments on land off High Street in Birstall and on the football field and land above it off Mill Street in Birstall. In Birkenshaw one of the council’s sites for business, Whitehall 26, is being changed from business and industry to housing and across Whitehall Road green belt land is proposed for further housing.

Land south of Bankwood Way, Birstall, has been put forward for a traveller site
Land south of Bankwood Way, Birstall, has been put forward for a traveller site

The plan goes for public consultation from November 9 and Birstall and Birkenshaw councillors are urging local residents to put forward their views to the council during the six week consultation period.

Clr Robert Light said: “We are shocked by Labour’s Local Plan and the amount of new housing we are facing in both Birstall and Birkenshaw villages. Our villages are already congested and unable to cope with this scale of new development which is totally against the strategic policies of the council.”

Clr Andrew Palfreeman added: “There has clearly been no appreciation of the impact on our local roads. In Birkenshaw the A58 Whitehall Road faces major capacity issues and these developments alongside the A58 will throw Birkenshaw into traffic chaos. The A62 in Birstall is already over capacity so these developments will hugely impact on the village.”