PLANS to build thousands of homes, some on the green belt, have been launched.
The public consultation, unveiled at Huddersfield Media Centre yesterday, runs until April 3 and will tour the region’s major towns over the next three weeks.
The report, requested by the Government, details Kirklees Council’s plans to build 37,000 new homes by 2026.
A planning spokesman said the majority of the target, about 20,000, would be built on existing ‘brown field’ sites but admitted that there was no choice but to build 6,900 on green belt sites.
Potential green belt areas to be earmarked include the fringes of south Huddersfield and the larger settlements in south Kirklees.
The spokesman also revealed they were considering undeveloped green spaces in towns that were no longer used for agricultural or recreation.
Sites seen by the Examiner include areas near Newsome, Crosland Hill, Castle Hill, Rawthorpe, Salendine Nook and Birchencliffe near Ainley Top.
The extensive report divides Kirklees into six regions and gives four options for each.
The regions are: Spen Valley, the Batley area, Dewsbury and Mirfield, Huddersfield, The Valleys and Denby Dale and Kirkburton.
Planning and Highways staff were on hand at the launch to explain the proposals and how they will affect transport and jobs.
Option one, dubbed ‘Growth Towns’, focuses on expanding the established towns.
It forecasts almost 16,000 new homes for the Huddersfield region and the creation of 11,000 jobs.
Option two seeks to strengthen the Kirklees economy and make more land available for businesses.
Option three aims to spread the burden of development across the whole of the region and take some pressure off north Kirklees and option four bids to minimise the impact of the plans on the environment.
The results of the survey will be considered by councillors in October and their decision will be adopted in February 2011.
For details of the public meetings and plans go to www.kirklees.gov.uk/localdevelopment
