Campaigners have lost their fight against plans to build a business and industrial development in Birkenshaw.

At Kirklees Planning and Highway Committee yesterday, members voted seven to five to approve the outline application.

Blackshaw Group, of Shelf, submitted the plans to Kirklees Council to demolish a farmhouse and outbuildings on a triangle of land at Heathfield Farm in Whitehall Road West/Bradford Road and build a business and industrial development on the site.

A lobby group of residents fought the plans and protested on the site prior to last month's Heavy Woollen planning sub-committee meeting.

At that meeting, Councillors voted against planners' recommendations to grant outline planning permission but the application still had to go to the Planning and Highway Committee for a final decision.

Councillor Robert Light (Con, Birstall & Birkenshaw) said it was a "disaster" for Birkenshaw.