A DEVELOPER has appealed against a unanimous decision by Kirklees Council to reject a housing development in Cleckheaton.

Last July, the authority’s planning panel voted seven-to-zero to turn down Strata Homes’ plans to build 39 houses on urban green space land off New Lane.

Now the firm has lodged an appeal against the decision with the government’s planning inspectorate - to the dismay of local residents who fought against the proposals.

Graeme Raisbeck, who led the campaign, said: “This comes at a highly sensitive time with the EU referendum a backdrop to the unprecedented house building going on in Yorkshire and around the UK.

“Council local plans are giving huge swathes of green space over to house building over the next 15 years.

“Cleckheaton ward alone already has land allocated for 900 homes in the local plan. But it seems developers are still not happy to pay any regard to protected land.

“The land in Cleckheaton has been protected as high value green space on the last Unitary Development Plan (UDP) and the current draft local plan.

“Yet Strata Homes and the five landowners are still pursing the building of unwanted homes in Moorside, Cleckheaton.

“The Strata homes proposals are a direct attack on the existing Moorside community as inside the insidious plans the developer has proposed double yellow lining outside modest terraced homes that don’t have the luxury of off-street parking or drives.

“It also is trying to move terraced home parking bays on Moorside. These restrict the visibility splays on the proposed junctions.

“The Council voted seven to nil to reject the planning application and have supported the rules to the letter and backed the community in rejecting the speculative proposals that attempt to cleanse the community of its amenity and on-street parking.”

A document stating that Strata Homes had lodged an appeal said: “An appeal has been made to the Secretary of State against the decision of Kirklees Council to refuse to grant planning permission.”

The deadline for representations on the appeal is June 10. People can e-mail robert.wordsworth@pins.gsi.gov.uk or send three copies to: Robert Wordsworth, The Planning Inspectorate, 3/26 Hawk Wing, Temple Quay House, 2 The Square, Bristol, BS1 6PN.