Kirklees LDF in crisis!



Cllr Judith Elliott outside Huddersfield Town Hall before speaking against Kirklees Councils LDF Plan

Kirklees Councils LDF has lurched into crisis following concerns raised by its Examining Inspector that they had not legally complied with their duty to co-operate. This duty - which means neighbouring councils need to speak to each other about their plans and the impact it will have on adjacent communities - was not clearly evidenced to the Inspectors satisfaction and the whole Plan has now been withdrawn.

This is good news for Morley as part of their bonkers plan was to build 500 houses (rising to 1500) and a large industrial estate at Chidswell in Dewsbury - immediately on the border with Morley. This would clearly have a significant impact on Morley schools, health centres and roads and the Inspector was concerned that no sensible plan had been agreed between councils about how this development could be made sustainable.
Labour Leeds City Councils Plan is up for a similar examination at the beginning of July where the same issue - the legal duty to co-operate - will also be examined. It is hard to see how Leeds Plan will pass this legal test when Kirklees Plan - especially on its impact on the Dewsbury Road corridor - was declared invalid because of the same lack of co-operation. Indeed I do not believe Labour Leeds LDF proposals for 8,000 new homes for the Morley area has been discussed with Labour Kirklees Council and its plans for up to 1500 new homes at Chidswell and a massive industrial estate. They both need to and deserve to fail.
It is clear that Planning Inspectors have not interest in fantasy planning and need to make sure that plans are realistic and deliverable. Labour Leeds City Councils LDF in unrealistic, unsustainable and undeliverable. It deserves to fail!