Pentlands: New homes approved for Yorkshire despite fears over sewers in 'over-built' area

Fifteen houses are earmarked for 1.2 acres of land occupied by “Pentlands” on the A635 New Mill Road, where an existing property is to be pulled down.

And a further nine homes will go on land at Lancaster Lane, Brockholes.

Both decisions were made at a meeting of Kirklees Council’s Huddersfield Planning Sub-Committee on December 9.

The Pentlands scheme was passed despite fears outlined at the meeting by Councillor Donald Firth (Con, Holme Valley South) that existing sewers are unable to cope with the numbers of new homes being built in the area.

He asked the committee to “think long and hard” before approving more housing in an area that he considers to be “over-built”.

Jake Hinchliffe of Mirfield-based Orange Design Studio outlined a “good quality and well-planned development” of contemporary homes on a well-balanced site.

He accepted there had been “technical challenges” around drainage but that they had been overcome.

The committee approved the application on a 7-3 vote with three abstentions.

Also approved were nine new homes on sloping land off Lancaster Lane, an unadopted road, at Brockholes.

Planning staff said the scheme had been called in for further scrutiny resulting in an appeal to the Planning Inspector over non-determination.

Planning officer Stuart Howden said: “The planning inspectorate will now determine this application.

“However as part of the appeal process the local planning authority is required to inform the planning inspectorate as to what decision it would have made if the determination of the application had remained within its remit.

“A resolution from the Huddersfield Planning Sub-Committee is sought on this basis.”