A PROPOSED housing development in Cleckheaton has provoked overwhelming opposition from people who live nearby.

Graeme Raisbeck said of 60 homes near the site, only households were in favour with the other 58 against.

Mr Raisbeck has been at the forefront of a residents' campaign against 51 new homes being built on urban green space off New Lane.

Strata Homes has submitted a planning application to Kirklees Council to build a selection of two, three, four and five-bedroom properties on the land.

Mr Raisbeck is hopeful of having at least 100 signatures against the proposals by the time the consultation period ends, which the Council has revised to November 14 from the original deadline of October 27.

The campaign has targeted homes on New Lane, Pearson Street, Ash Grove, Rustless Close, Halifax Road, Moorside, and East View.

"They are from the immediate vicinity, actually bordering the fields," said Mr Raisbeck. "We didn't want to go farther afield than that, in case they were just dismissed."

He added: "There is no way they can pass it. Policy says there has to be specific reasons for not adhering to green space rules.

"For example, there is no benefit to the community. There has to be an economic benefit for residents.

"The policies are with us. I am fairly confident."

He concluded: "I don't think they are looking hard enough for somewhere else to build houses."

Mr Raisbeck also said that Kirklees Council had extended the deadline for objections because the authority had failed to send letters to all addresses near the proposed development and had failed to put public notices up.

"They put notices up on October 16 - two weeks after the start of the consultation period. And we also produced addresses they had not sent letters to. Out of 50 homes, ten never got a letter - including some right opposite the site, which is why we challenged them.

"On both, they conceded they did not do it right."

Paul Kemp, the Council's assistant director of place, said: “The Council restarted the consultation process following a report from a resident that he had not received the letter we sent out at the beginning of the consultation period.

"We resent the letter and restarted the process to give people longer to respond - the public consultation now ends on November 14.

"A date for the strategic planning committee meeting, where the application will be considered, won’t be set until after the consultation has ended. The planning application will not be considered at the Heavy Woollen planning sub-committee."

Earlier this month, residents and councillors voiced their anger at the plans.

Councillor Kath Pinnock (Lib Dem, Cleckheaton) said she shared the residents' "horror and anger", adding: "Ward councillors and residents will fight it tooth and nail."

In its application, Strata Homes said its application had taken into acount the need for additional housing and the suitability of the site for housing use.