THE deadline for the public consultation on plans for an Amazon warehouse near the M606 has been extended until December 5 in anticipation of the expected release of further information next week.

The proposal which has proved highly controversial would see a large warehouse built on 59 acres of farmland at Scholes near Cleckheaton.

Since the plans were announced, local campaign group ‘Save Our Spen’ have opposed the development. A separate planning application also opposed by the group was more recently revealed, which will see the diversion of part of the Spen Valley Heritage Trail footpath. Additional controversy surrounded the proposals when it was reported by the Local Democracy Reporting Service that Amazon had been liaising with Kirklees Council 12 months prior to the plans being made public.

A spokesperson from Save Our Spen spoke of frustrating delays and broken deadlines when awaiting an update saying: “It was back on the 24th May 2022 when the then planning officer wrote to the applicants requesting answers to numerous issues with their application. The deadline of 30th June 2022 has long since passed.

"The time taken for a response has been unacceptable. We are now finally going to see what the applicants are now proposing. We look forward to assessing the updated plans. Kirklees Council’s own planning policies are clear, as well as national planning policies. Both policies should be adhered to and the interests of the local community put first. Save our Spen campaign group will share our findings with the local community as we consider the updated plans.”

Councillor John Lawson (Lib Dem, Cleckheaton) said: “The saga of this application has rumbled on for far too long. I would have expected a company with Amazon’s resources to get their reports right first time. Instead we have seen them repeatedly having to be told to come back to Planning because of missing information, inadequate reports and reports that have been mish-mashed together from others.

"If Amazon had produced correct and timely documents in the first instance instead of hoping they would get nodded through we might already have had a decision. It’s hard to explain how exhausting and extremely stressful this has been for local people who now feel like they’re being ground down in a war of attrition.

"Several major documents have been submitted so, along with local champions SOS, I’d urge people to take part in this next round of consultation. Planners must take notice and answer the points you raise.”

It is expected that the application will next be seen by Kirklees Council’s Strategic Planning Committee in December.