Developer's latest plans for key Merchant Fields site in Cleckheaton sees homes increase to 284

It follows an earlier scheme by developer Harron Homes which was refused by Kirklees councillors in April this year amid concerns about too many large family homes and safely moving hedgerows.

That would have seen 267 homes built on the site at Hunsworth, five fields at Merchant Fields Farm.

But the developer has now submitted a new scheme for the site, hoping to allay concerns about the mix of housing type which planners thought was "overly dominated by four bedroom detached dwellings".

This time there are fewer four bed homes, and more two and three bed properties - but this would see an increase in the overall number of houses to 284.

A spokesperson for Harron Homes Yorkshire said: “We were very disappointed that our previous planning application at Merchant Fields was refused as it had gone to committee with the full support of Kirklees council officers.

"Since receiving the formal reasons for refusal Harron have worked with the council to develop a new application that meets their requirements with a redesign of mix and density to achieve a scheme of 284 new homes.

The site at Merchant Fields in Hunsworth, where Harron Homes now wants to build 284 homes

"We have also taken on board the biodiversity comments at committee and prepared a robust and supportive strategy in cooperation with planning consultees.

"We are looking forward to the application going to committee again with the full support of the council, and to delivering much needed new homes in the Kirklees area.”

One local resident has objected so far, warning that the area cannot cope with any more traffic and that Chain Bar roundabout is "already at breaking point".

The objector adds that the planned number of houses is too high, and that "even dropping the amount by half would still cause significant problems for the current residents of the village".

The site was earmarked for development in Kirklees Council's Local Plan in 2019 for up to 413 homes and was removed from the green belt.

But the earlier plans drew 112 objections, with local residents raising concerns over various issues, including the loss of green belt land, unsuitable access, a lack of affordable housing, damage to air quality and added pollution from the development, fears over flooding risks, poor public transport links in the area and the loss of hedgerow.

At the committee meeting four months ago, Conservatives and Lib Dems raised concerns about the layout of the proposal, the impact on local roads, flooding and the failure to find a mineshaft that exists somewhere on the land.

That led to worries that future homes built on the land could suffer from subsidence, with owners left to “pick up the pieces”.

The scheme was refused by a 4-3 vote at the Council's strategic planning committee over concerns around the mix of housing types and safely relocating the hedgerow.

People now have until September 11 to have their say over the new plans.

A final decision is expected to be made by the end of October.