Kirklees Council’s development masterplan has finally been submitted to the government.

After three years of wrangling, the council has now formally handed over its ‘Local Plan’ to the Planning Inspectorate.

The council’s bid to develop a planning blueprint emerged in early 2014 following the embarrassing rejection of the previous policy, the Local Development Framework (LDF).

The first draft of the plan, published in September 2015, caused controversy as it revealed plans to offer the whole of Kirklees’ only public golf course, Bradley Park, as a site for homes.

Ever since then protests and campaigns have been going on across the borough, to save numerous green belt and green field sites, from the hands of developers.

Bradley Park Golf Course
Bradley Park Golf Course

All arguments are now on hold while a planning inspector reviews Kirklees’ plan to allow 30,000 homes and a host of industrial sites be created by 2031.

If approved it will bring to an end the ‘free for all’ that is currently allowing developers to build in areas the council does not want them to.

A public inquiry is likely to be held in Kirklees in July, with interested parties allowed to make representations.

The plan could then be formally adopted in early 2018.

Clr Peter McBride, Cabinet Member for Place, said: “This is the next milestone in the preparation of the Local Plan.

“It is by no means the end of the process though as the appointed planning inspector will lead public sessions where the plan is challenged and scrutinised.”