Campaigners have accused planners of unfairly targeting green field sites as a popular Huddersfield beauty spot starts being bulldozed.

Work to build 95 houses has now begun on several parcels of land in the picturesque Grimescar Valley.

And despite protesting vociferously, opponents say more green belt will be swallowed up as their views are ignored.

Local Liberal Democrat councillor Cahal Burke accused Kirklees Council of over-developing the area with a disproportionate level of development that was unfair.

And he said the authority lacked a proper plan that would safeguard the area going forward.

“More and more development is being forced upon us despite the wishes of people,” he said.

A new road off Burn Road at Birchencliffe which will service new homes being built in the Grimescar valley

“Soon all the fields will be gone, tarmacked over and they will have to move on somewhere else. It makes me angry and it angers a lot of residents.

“We are just not been listened to. We do need affordable housing but these houses will not be affordable to a lot of us.

“”It’s about doing it the right way. Had things been done fairly and there had been a proper plan it would have been different, but I have seen none of it.

“To talk about it afterwards means nothing to people who will have to live with that site for years and years.”

Local Plan - 31,000 homes coming to Kirklees

Leeds-based developer Harron Homes is building 95 homes on land off Burn Road and Yew Tree Road in Birchencliffe.

Signs indicates that the development will be known as Oaklands Heath. Work is underway on both sides of Burn Road and off Grimescar Road looking down the valley.

A new access road has been created. Local residents have already raised concerns about site traffic and its impact on the surrounding area.

Clr Burke added: “We have to look at the cumulative impact of these developments.

“People will try and protect the rest of what is there because while there is very little left there will be more to come. They have used the Lindley ward as much as they can and not given any thought for the impact.

“They said they would work with us. They have not done that. It will work against what we are trying to achieve in Lindley.”