CAMPAIGNERS battling against a housing development in Cleckheaton have claimed a partial victory after the number of proposed homes on the site was reduced by 12.

But they stressed that their fight against developer Strata Homes will continue until Kirklees Council rules that no houses will be built on urban green space off New Lane.

The developer submitted a planning application to the Council last year to build 51 homes on the site, made up of a selection of two, three, four and five-bedroom properties.

Now, Strata has amended its plans and instead wants to construct 39 houses.

Local resident Graeme Raisbeck has been at the forefront of the campaign to oppose the plans. Last October he said 58 out of 60 households near the proposed site were against the plans.

"Whatever the outcome," said Mr Raisbeck. "If we had not pushed this all the way, Strata homes, encouraged by Kirklees planning, would already be digging foundations seven metres from our homes on urban green space.

"Some of our campaigners are so disgusted they are leaving Yorkshire, and many local houses are up for sale. We need to get this community back together and looking forward to a clean and green future."

Mr Raisbeck, who lives on New Lane, was also concerned that a deadline date for a decision by the Council had been missed.

He said: "We said we were not happy that the six-month decision deadline was breached and that we wanted a vote before the election because we have been applying intense pressure on the councillors' political positions on building on urban green space.

"Now we hear that there will be one more meeting on April 16. They publish the agenda five days before so we will know if we are to be voted on by April 11.

"There is a national planning protest march on April 12. Ours is at Huddersfield at 11am. More and more people are protesting at the sheer number of proposed housing."

He added: "Cleckheaton previously came under Heavy Woollen planning committee and so another problem was created as we want votes on time and before the election, so that we can show the political positions on green space building.

"So we believe they might want to pass this application after the election. But it should be impossible to do so due to urban green space rules and the drastic mistakes on highways access to the site."

Strata Homes had suggested using Pearson Street, which is off Moorside, as an access route to 28 of the new homes. But campaigners said that the tiny, dead-end street that is home to a small cluster of terraced houses, was wholly inappropriate as an access route.

A spokesman for Kirklees Council said: "The council has received amended plans and further information from the developers. These require further consideration before the application can go to the council’s strategic planning committee."