An inspector’s changes to Kirklees Council’s planning blueprint are up for debate as the end of the lengthy ‘Local Plan’ process looms.

Two months on from the council declaring its controversial 31,000 home had been given the go-ahead , the final stage of public consultation has begun.

It allows comments on the planning inspector’s alterations to the council’s borough wide development masterplan.

In June, planning inspector Katie Child revealed she had sanctioned all the major plots Kirklees Council had allocated for homes – most controversially about 1,500 on what is now Bradley Park Golf Course.

While political opponents of the Labour run council claimed it was not a done deal , a new ream of documents to accompany the final consultation show the inspector has not changed any of the large housing plots around the borough.

Members of the public now have a further six-weeks to review and comment on the modifications before the document is signed into law.

In the Huddersfield area, the revised documents show the inspector is insisting on a number of things at the Bradley golf site; including the retention of a nine-hole course, the construction of a new primary school and a community centre for shops and a GP practice, and a link road to the proposed Cooper Bridge bypass.

The inspector also calls for secondary school demand to be closely monitored and says access to the golf course and driving range should not be lost during construction of the new homes.

Satellite image of the land earmarked for housing around Bradley Park golf course. Highlighted the rough area where toxic waste is buried. Pic courtesy Google.
Satellite image of the land earmarked for housing around Bradley Park golf course. Highlighted the rough area where toxic waste is buried. Pic courtesy Google.


The consultation document confirms potential large plots for warehouses on open land north of Cooper Bridge, close to Robin Hood’s grave, and at Clayton West, have both been removed.

Other alterations of note include the removal of a site at Plantation Drive, Newsome, beside Castle Hill and Newsome High schools, that was said to be big enough for 108 homes.

Another site for 37 dwellings off Weatherhill Road, close to the Ainley Top junction, has also been vetoed.

The inspector has also said the nearby Grimescar Valley homes plan should be reduced from a maximum of 392 units to 243 houses.

Meanwhile, the Black Cat fireworks site at Crosland Moor has now been declared for homes only – not mixed use as it was in the initial plan.

Across the road, a site for 21 homes at Sunningdale Road next to the former St Lukes Hospital at Crosland Moor is one of the others to go.

The land will now be safeguarded as green space.

The St Luke’s site itself, is still part of the plan .

The former St Lukes Hospital site at Crosland Moor which is being marketed once more

A number of other modifications have been made in the North Kirklees and ‘Kirklees Rural’ areas – most notably a 441 reduction in the amount of homes needed at the Dewsbury Riverside scheme near Ravensthorpe by 2031.

Comments on the changed Local Plan can be submitted online at www.kirklees.gov.uk/consultplanningportal

Two drop in sessions for the public are also planned on September 3 at Huddersfield Town Hall from 12pm to 8pm, and on September 10 at Dewsbury Town Hall from 12pm to 8pm, where staff will be on hand to discuss issues and answer questions

More information about the local plan is available on the website www.kirklees.gov.uk/localplan or by emailing local.development@kirklees.gov.uk