RESIDENTS battling for a children’s play area to be built in Slaithwaite are devastated.

Kirklees Council has unveiled it is looking into the possibility of building new homes there instead.

But local councillors say they are backing the residents’ play area plan.

Families living on the Cornmill Fields estate have spent years campaigning for somewhere safe for their children to play and their hard work looked set to be rewarded when the council made land available for that use earlier this year.

Council funding for the £36,000 project was also secured and locals were looking forward to seeing their dream realised at last.

However, they were then dealt a devastating blow when the council revealed that the land on the estate could be used to build eight affordable houses instead.

Residents now face an agonising wait while the new plans for the land are considered – a wait, which according to Colne Valley councillor Nicola Turner is leaving them feeling angry and frustrated.

She said: “We have been waiting for weeks for a decision on this and the residents are getting more and more frustrated. They have already waited 40 years for this play area.

“They had got the money and the land – it simply isn’t fair that agreements can be announced on one day and apparently retracted on the next.

“There’s a need for affordable housing, but there are other areas that are more suitable for that.

“In this area, the need for a children’s play area is far more important.”

There are a lot of young families living on the Cornmill Fields estate and an area for both young and older children to play on is desperately needed.

Clr Turner said: “There is nowhere safe for them to go at the moment. They are playing in busy roads, which is not acceptable.

“If it (the estate) was built under current planning regulations, there would have to be a play area.”

Residents have got lots of ideas for the play area, which would be suitable for children of all ages and include a range of play equipment, including slides.

The plot of land currently belongs to Kirklees housing, which has agreed to release it for use as a play area.

Funds, to which the local area committee has also contributed, are now available and Kirklees Culture and Leisure Services has agreed to maintain the play area.

However, the council is now looking at the possibility of using the patch of land for housing, the feasibility of which is being looked at by Highways officers.

Residents are not giving up without a fight and are planning to take their case to a future council meeting.

Their plight is also being backed by local councillors Margaret Fearnley and Gordon Beever.

Clr Turner added: “We are committed in our support for the residents’ play area scheme and we will continue to raise this matter with the Cabinet and the various council departments.

“We will keep pushing for it, and we trust that good sense will ultimately prevail.”