A vision to build 4,000 homes on Kirklees green belt is one step closer.

Councillors have given Miller Homes the green light to build on two plots between Mirfield and Dewsbury.

One is behind Ravenshall School at Ravensthorpe, the other is behind Thornhill Lees village hall.

The sites will merge in with the council’s controversial Dewsbury Riverside plan – the biggest single plot in the controversial Local Plan – a bid to get developers to build 30,000 homes by 2031.

The decision on whether or not to unlock the adjacent 392 acre green belt plot to developers is about a year away.

But Miller Homes has been allowed to press ahead with the first two 120 home sites as they were earmarked for housing almost 20 years ago when the council’s previous planning blueprint was approved.

Miller Homes
Miller Homes

Andrew Rose, agent for Miller Homes, said they could be constructed without prejudicing the wider 4,000 home scheme.

Last year, Marcus Jessop, the man behind the Horses Not House campaign to protect the rural land, accused Miller Homes of showing “complete contempt” for Kirklees’ planning blueprint.

His group handed in a 36,000 petition against the plan.

But councillors on the Strategic Planning Committee had little issue with either proposal being built.