Green Belt land in Kirklees is under a massive threat of being developed for thousands of new homes, planning chiefs have warned.

Kirklees Council says the threat comes from the findings of an independent study on future housing needs in the region, commissioned by the Yorkshire and Humberside Regional Assembly.

Councillor Cyril Pearce, chairman of the planning and economic development committee, said the report implied between 16,600 and 29,100 new houses would need to be built in Kirklees up until the year 2016.

This is over and above the 10,800 already identified in the Council's own Unitary Development Plan for the next decade. The study was carried out by Baker Associates.

Coun Pearce said: "The conclusions of the study are extremely worrying and include proposals which we find unsustainable and unacceptable.''

He said the report was based on two specific themes - the number of houses Baker Associates consider can be built within existing settlements and in Green Belt.

Coun Pearce said: "The report is suggesting between 14,400 and 17,100 houses could be built in Kirklees within existing settlements.

"This is between two and three times our forecasts in the UDP and would mean filling almost every nook and cranny, increasing the density of houses on development sites and cramming more houses in many sites.

"The Baker proposals would mean between 2,200 and 12,000 houses in Green Belt. However, bearing in mind we do not regard the figure for existing settlements to be either desirable or realistic, the knock-on effect might mean up to 25,000 houses in Green Belt.''

He said other local authorities in the region shared the Council's view that the scale of development potential suggested was far too high.

"Baker's proposals for West Yorkshire are excessive and leave other parts of the region unaffected. We have to look for a more equitable approach we can all support,'' said Coun Pearce.

The report will go before the Council's planning and economic development committee tomorrow.

The meeting will include a response from the West Yorkshire Planning Forum, which says cramming houses in existing settlements and Green Belt is unfeasible.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.