TWO of the leading names in Huddersfield manufacturing have won permission for major developments.

Planners yesterday approved a significant change at the site of Thomas Broadbent and Sons on Queen Street South.

Councillors also backed Sellers Engineers’ plan to move from Chapel Hill to a new site in Deighton.

Broadbents – which specialises in centrifuge manufacturer for the sugar and chemical industries – won permission to move all its operations onto one site at yesterday’s meeting of Kirklees Council’s Huddersfield Planning Sub-committee.

The factory currently straddles both sides of Queen Street South, just outside the ring road. But the company wants to move all its 130 staff on to the eastern side of the street, next to the Examiner.

The move would free the company to sell its sprawling factory on the western side of Queen Street South to Asda.

The supermarket giant claims that its £40m development – which is yet to win planning permission – would create 450 jobs.

Broadbents currently has five manufacturing bays on its western site and three manufacturing bays, disused offices and a foundry on the other side of the street.

The firm yesterday won permission to extend the foundry, build new offices and a fourth manufacturing bay at the eastern side.

The sub-committee heard objections to the plan from two residents of the Melting Point block of flats on the corner of Queen Street South and Firth Street.

Pauline Morley told councillors she was worried dangerous materials would be released into the atmosphere if old industrial buildings at the site were demolished.

She said: “I have grave concerns about the toxicity of the site. Dust from heavy metals are bad for children and pregnant woman.”

Her husband Steven was the only other resident of the 210-home complex to attend yesterday’s meeting. He blamed the low turnout on this newspaper.

Mr Morley said: “I’m speaking on behalf of 54 residents of the Melting Point.

“ A lot of them didn’t want to put their names forward because it would go in the Examiner as ‘neighbours complain about development’.”

He added he was concerned about noise at the site and the fact that there could be a turning circle for lorries 35 metres from his bedroom window.

Broadbents director Clive Grimwood spoke in favour of the development at yesterday’s meeting at the Media Centre on Northumberland Street.

He told councillors: “The buildings proposed for demolition have no architectural merit. There would be no vehicle movements at night and no scheduled deliveries.”

Sub-committee member Clr Ken Sims spoke in favour of the development.

The Holme Valley South Conservative said: “I’m sure if there are any contaminants found at the site they will be dealt with.”

Clr Sims added: “If you live in the town centre you must realise that there’s going to be some noise. That business has been there for as long as I can remember.”

The sub-committee overwhelmingly backed the plan, with only Kirkburton Conservative Clr Christine Smith voting against.

The councillors also approved a proposal to allow Sellers, which manufactures finishing machines for the carpet industry, to relocate.

The company won permission to build a 48,000sq ft factory and offices at Trident Business Park off Leeds Road in Deighton.

Sellers has to leave its current site at Chapel Hill to make way for the Waterfront Quarter development. A £75m campus for Kirklees College is already underway at the triangle of land between Chapel Hill, Manchester Road and the River Colne, with offices and flats also in the pipeline.

The relocation plan was approved unanimously.

Sellers’ 75 staff will move to the new site in March.