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A sub-committee of Kirklees Council in West Yorkshire voted in favour of 41 homes being built on fields off Green Acres Close, in Emley. The Heavy Woollen Planning Sub-Committee voted 7-5 in favour of Barratt Homes building the new properties despite claims the site is set to be sold on to another developer.
Locals also sought reassurance over who would be responsible in future for the maintenance and repair of the “extremely high” ball strike nets next to Emley Moor Miners’ Recreation Ground, reports Yorkshire Live.
One man said they would be seen “towering above the whole village” and be “twice the height” of the new houses.
One woman said: “We are aware that Barratt are selling this site.
“Tenders for purchase of land are to be submitted by developers by the end of June. This is very concerning for the village.
“There is no guarantee a smaller developer will have the necessary finance to correctly plan, build, and take on such an expensive, long-term commitment.”
Speaking in support of the scheme, York-based planning consultant Paul Butler said the safety netting – a requirement by Sport England – would be “lightweight in nature” and “will be maintained by the developer. They won’t be able to build the houses unless they maintain it.”
Council planning officers at the meeting confirmed that a requirement to manage and maintain the nets in future was a condition of the plan, and that it stayed with the site via a management plan.
They said the council could take enforcement action in future if the safety of the netting became a factor.
Local campaigner Mike Wood, a trustee for the recreation ground, said he and other objectors were “obviously disappointed with the general outcome” but that the decision was “a closer run thing than we first thought.”
He added: “We will have to see whether Barratt continue as the site developer or if they sell it as rumoured.
“Whoever the developer is to be we will be watching that between them, Kirklees and our community, all conditions discussed today are properly formatted and then discharged as required.”
He thanked “all who have and continue to help” support residents and trustees such as himself but particularly local councillor Tim Bamford (Con, Denby Dale) “who has fought our corner throughout.”
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