A CONTROVERSIAL plan to build houses on a watermeadow that floods in heavy rain has been thrown out. Campaigners have fought a long battle to stop a 67-home estate going up at Granny Lane in Mirfield. The proposals by Wakefield-based Miller Homes have pinballed back and forth between various committees at Kirklees Council. Now they have been refused. It was a tight victory for locals opposed to the plan, with the seven-member Strategic Planning Committee voting 4-3. Planning officers said none of the houses being planned would be built in the area of land worst affected by flooding. But councillors said they were not confident that measures being suggested to tackle flooding would work.
PLANNING chiefs are recommending that a housing estate be built on an ancient floodplain in Mirfield. The controversial scheme, which has been vigorously fought by local campaigners, comes before Kirklees Council s Strategic Planning Committee on Wednesday. And if members back officers recommendation for full planning permission then 67 houses will be built on the watermeadow off Granny Lane in Hopton Bottom, which regularly floods during heavy rain. The scheme, which has been back and forth from committee over many months, is being supported by council planners as part of the authority s Local Plan, which aims to build 31,000 new homes across the district over the next decade.
Updated
Monday, 25th January 2021, 3:35 pm
The controversial scheme, which has been vigorously fought by local campaigners, comes before Kirklees Council s Strategic Planning Committee on January 27.
And if members back officers recommendation for full planning permission then 67 houses will be built on the watermeadow off Granny Lane in Hopton Bottom, which regularly floods during heavy rain.
The scheme, which has been back and forth from committee over many months, is being supported by council planners as part of the authority s Local Plan, which aims to build 31,000 new homes across the district over the next decade.
Granny Lane under water in 2020. (Image: GLAAG)