PLANNERS have reined back on approving a contentious housing scheme earmarked for an ancient floodplain in Mirfield.

But it’s not because of flood risk. Instead many of the houses planned have been found to be too small.

Local campaigners have fought for more than 18 months to stop Wakefield-based developer Miller Homes building 67 houses on a watermeadow off Granny Lane in Hopton Bottom, which regularly floods during heavy rain.

Building on the “challenging site”, which is allocated for housing within Kirklees Council’s Local Plan, was approved in December 2019.

At that meeting Labour councillor Carole Pattison , who sits on the authority’s Strategic Planning Committee, said: “We are strapped for housing. The houses are protected. I think it’s worth the risk and I think that’s what the developer has decided.”

The approval has since been been vigorously fought by the Granny Lane Area Action Group (GLAAG) and Save Mirfield, which have threatened to mount a legal challenge to the decision.

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Now, more than a year later, the same committee has voted to defer the scheme after it emerged that some homes proposed for the site do not meet “minimum unit size figures” as set out in the government’s nationally described space standard (NDSS).

The scheme, which has been back and forth from committee over many months, had originally been recommended for final approval.

In a report to the committee senior council planner Julia Steadman said staff had requested a deferral in order “to engage with the applicant to review the house types and to then re-assess the scheme.”

She added: “When this item came before the committee in December 2019 the report set out that the proposed dwellings would meet the minimum unit size figures set out in the NDSS.

“These same house types still form part of this current scheme.

“However it has emerged that not all of the house types do actually meet the recommended space standards. Whilst some of the house types exceed them there are a significant proportion that are below.

“Whilst we acknowledge that the NDSS are not adopted Kirklees planning policy I think we all agree that they do provide useful guidance, and applicants are encouraged to meet and exceed them.

“Consideration of the NDSS is now becoming common practice and furthermore from April 2021 all permitted developments for residential conversion will be required to be NDSS compliant.

“Officers would therefore like to have an opportunity to engage with the applicant to review the house types and to then re-assess the scheme against the standard before reporting back to this committee.

“In the event that the review of the house types results in any material changes to the layout it would be subject to a further consultation exercise. For these reasons the officer recommendation is to defer this application.”

Committee chair Clr Steve Hall (Lab, Heckmondwike) commented: “This standard house size [debate] has been going on for some time and a lot of developers are trying to shove it in through the back door.

“I’ve spoken about it many times at committee and I’m quite prepared for this item to be deferred.”

The seven-member committee voted unanimously for deferral.