DOZENS of objections have been lodged over a further bid to build almost 300 homes on farmland in Cleckheaton.

Developer Harron Homes originally applied to build 267 homes on the site at Hunsworth, but after being knocked back in April, it has reapplied with a revised scheme, this time for 284 homes.

The changes are designed to overcome the concerns of members of the Kirklees Council committee, such as there being too many large family homes and safely moving hedgerows.

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

So far a total of 78 objections to the latest scheme on five fields at Merchant Fields Farm have been lodged with planners.

One said: "A nonsensical development on land with mineshafts. Not to mention the traffic chaos this will cause in the local area and to an already congested Chain Bar Roundabout."

Another added: "The application by Harron Homes for housing on Merchants Fields should be refused.

"The impact on the immediate area, road networks and wildlife will be enormous and detrimental. The roads surrounding the site are badly congested at the moment during peak times and cannot take any increase in traffic."

"The access from Hunsworth lane will be dangerous and the access from Kilroyd Drive is also not appropriate as this road is too narrow and also comes out onto a fast moving busy road which is often at a standstill at the moment. The site is totally inappropriate for housing."

A third said: "Taking this development in conjunction with other proposed developments in this area, there will be serious traffic and congestion problems from Cleckheaton to the junction 26 of the M62, which is bad enough already.

"This development will also lead to potential flooding problems in the immediate area which are already being experienced.

"Such an addition of so many people will put great strains on services such as doctors, chemists and schools which are already inadequate."

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.

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.

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

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