Two building projects on the green belt have been approved, against official advice.

Councillors overruled officials twice to give the go-ahead to schemes at Almondbury and New Mill near Holmfirth.

Both had been refused by Kirklees Council planning department.

The first, a proposal for a cattery off Hey Lane near Castle Hill, was given the nod by eight out of 11 councillors on the Huddersfield planning sub-committee.

The bid by the owners of Pet Watch, a small pet hotel, was snubbed on the basis of being inappropriate development in the green belt.

But Clr Andrew Cooper pointed out that the single story building proposed would be virtually invisible from all angles.

He added: “There’s an irony here. If you go slightly down the hill to Stirley Farm, they recently got approval to get a barn built.

“An agricultural barn for big animals is viewed more favourably than a small building for cats.

“That’s a bit odd.”

Andrew Murray, husband of applicant Andrea Murray, said expansion of the business to care for cats would enable his wife and son Callum to have full time employment.

“We live in a beautiful place and we have no desire to detract from it,” he said.

Several councillors spoke up in favour of granting the “very special circumstances” needed to allow the development in the green belt.

Meanwhile an extension to a house at Syke Bottom off Penistone Road between New Mill and Shepley was also allowed, against Kirklees planners’ advice.

Following a visit to the address, councillors agreed they could see no impact on the green belt.