Cleckheaton residents face a 22-mile round trip to view local plans after Kirklees Council decided to stop keeping paper copies of planning documents at Cleckheaton Town Hall.

Councillor Ann Raistrick (Lib Dem, Cleckheaton) has hit out at the move saying the only way for residents to see full paper copies to learn about developments affecting their area is to travel to the planning department in Huddersfield.

Liberal Democrat councillors in Cleckheaton have opposed the move, arguing it will make it harder for residents to get involved in decisions affecting their communities.

Coun Raistrick said: "This situation is totally unsatisfactory. Residents need to be able to access large complex plans on paper, so that they can understand how proposed developments will affect their area. The Council must make a special computer available to view plans - an ordinary sized screen is just too small when looking at big plans."

Until a suitable method of viewing plans can be provided in Cleckheaton - such as at the library - Coun Raistrick believes paper plans should be retained.

"At least if paper plans were available at Cleckheaton Town Hall we could be sure that residents could look at the proposals and understand what impact it is likely to have. They could also avoid driving all the way to Huddersfield just to see what developments are proposed for their neighbourhoods."