PLANS to fill in a redundant railway cutting in Heckmondwike to enable 96 homes to be built look set to be turned down by planners.

The scheme on land at Walkley Terrace and Brunswick Street in the town is recommended for refusal when it goes before Kirklees Council’s strategic planning committee tomorrow for a decision.

It follows a total of 181 local objections to the scheme, which would require 138,000 tonnes of material to infill the railway cutting, taking more than two years to complete.

The bid by Ernest Gordon Ltd is a hybrid application, seeking full planning permission to landfill the site and outline planning permission to then develop 96 two to five bedroom homes there.

It would also include the creating of a cycle and pedestrian link to the current spur from the Spen Valley Greenway.

The railway cutting, which accommodated the former branch line serving Heckmondwike, has been closed for more than 50 years.

In a report to the committee, planners state that in order to fill in the land, a temporary access would be needed off Walkley Terrace and that material would be compacted during the landfilling operations to form an area suitable for future development.

In addition access for the subsequent homes would link to Horton Street at the northern end of the site.

The report states: “The proposed temporary access arrangements associated with the landfilling element of this proposal would have significant detrimental impact on highway safety in the vicinity of the site in that the local highway network is not capable of safely accommodating the regular daily movement of the heavy goods vehicles needed to transport infill material to the site.”

It adds that the applicant has failed to demonstrated “that the landfill of the site over a period of at least two years will not have a detrimental impact ont he amenity of neighbouring uses as a result of noise and dust”.

In the numerous objections to the scheme, concerns were raised about the two year time frame for landfilling being unrealistic, that the site is not earmarked for housing in the emerging Local Plan, and the valuable green space should not be developed.

In a design and access statement accompanying the plans, the firm states: “Bringing derelict land back into use is a high priority within the UDP and will result in suitable land for future use that protects the Greenbelt from harm.

“The proposed future use as residential, if granted outline consent will provide an area with the potential for up to 96 new dwellings, subject to detailed planning consent.

“The layout of the potential dwellings has also been configured to respect the existing dwellings, and protect amenity of existing residents.”

A decision will be made at the meeting, which takes place tomorrow from 1pm.