A PLANNING blueprint for Kirklees that will provide the space for 31,000 new homes to be built has been given the green light by the government’s planning inspector.

Following scrutiny of the draft Local Plan, planning inspector Katie Child has now written to Kirklees Council to agree that the plan can be finalised once agreed changes are made.

The only major element to be removed from the blueprint is part of a site at Cooper Bridge near Robin Hood’s grave, which was to have housed industrial units.

But the detail provided and the effect of this and other smaller changes, has led to one councillors calling for more clarity on the ramifications.

Councillor Andrew Pinnock (Lib Dem, Cleckheaton) said other than the Cooper Bridge changes, there appeared to be a reduction in a housing site near Whitechapel Church, but it was not clear at this stage what the effect was.

Councillor Kath Pinnock (Lib Dem, Cleckheaton) added that it was incredibly frustrating for the Cleckheaton area, as there are two major employment sites - one in Scholes and another in Oakenshaw - as well as a large housing site at Merchant Fields in Hunsworth.

"I don't see how Chain Bar will be able to cope with all this additional traffic," she said.

The planning inspector said that major schemes at Bradley, Lepton and Almondbury, Chidswell and Dewsbury Riverside should remain in the plan. She also gave the green light to strategic sites at Chidswell and Chain Bar.

Councillor Peter McBride, cabinet member for economy, said: “This is excellent progress – it shows that our original assumptions and strategic planning for the future is sound. We are extremely pleased that how we have chosen to distribute growth and our infrastructure plans have been accepted.

“We still remain impressed by the level of public participation in the examination and are firmly of the opinion that the robust challenge we witnessed at the public sessions was worthwhile and valuable to all residents in Kirklees. The important thing now is that we deliver, because that is the way we can protect the green belt and urban green spaces against unplanned development.

“I am disappointed that part of the Cooper Bridge allocation has been proposed to be deleted from the plan, but her view was that we have enough adequate employment land elsewhere in the plan – mainly the strategic sites in the north of the district. These strategic employment sites are crucial to delivering our economic ambitions for the district. There is still another round of consultation to go on the proposed changes and this is not her final conclusion on any matters, but this is excellent news for the Council and the district and we are pleased with the progress made.”

The Council will carry out public consultation on the changes to the Local Plan in August and September, with the plan set to be adopted towards the end of the year.

Almost 6,000 people were involved in an earlier round of consultation and more than 17,000 comments were received.

In the Spen Valley and surrounding areas, most comments were received about the housing proposals at Ferrand Lane in Gomersal, Merchant Fields in Cleckheaton, Raikes Lane in Birstall, and Hightown Road in Liversedge.