Kirklees Knoll: Residents urged to attend public inquiry

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Farsley and Rodley residents are being urged to attend a third and final public inquiry into plans to build more than 400 houses at Kirklees Knoll.

The public inquiry runs at Pudsey Civic Hall from Tuesday, January 10 until Thursday, Januray 12.

Developers Thornhill Estates are seeking to build the houses despite a local campaign against the development.

Campaigners from Farsley Residents Action Group are encouraging residents to attend the inquiry and make their voices heard.

Campaigners posted on Facebook:

“You will have opportunity to raise a formal objection – which the inspector will have to register and consider. If you want to attend or help – please just pop by.”

Thornhill Estates first lodged an appeal in 2012 after Leeds City Council failed to reach a decision on the plans within the allocated time frame.

Public inquiries were subsequently held into the plans before the secretary of state called in the application in 2013, as it exceeded the 150-home development limit.

The second inquiry, which dismissed the application, was challenged in the High Court by Thornhill Estates.

The inquiry comes at a time when the council is under-fire for its housing policy. A housebuilder last week successfully overturned a planning decision after being prevented from building hundreds of new homes at Bramhope and Collingham.

Secrtary of State Sajid Javid said there would be a serious shortfall of supply in Leeds in the next two years.

A press release issued by international law firm Eversheds issued a warning to the council. It said:

“Matters of housing land supply were of particular importance to the conclusions reached by the Secretary of State in each appeal. Whilst acknowledging the position on supply to be difficult because Leeds’ Site Allocation Plan is unlikely to be adopted until at least December 2017, he found that the available evidence pointed to a serious shortfall of supply in the next two years and ‘when realism is applied… the Council has failed to demonstrate a robust five-year [housing plan]’.”

The Site Allocation Plan highlights potential development sites over the next 15 years.

Kirklees Knoll is not on that plan.

A public meeting held at Pudsey Priesthorpe School in November saw residents vow to fight against the Kirklees Knoll development.

Farsley Residents Action Group can be contacted by e-mailing info@farsley.info.



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