By Daniel Wood
Over 10,000 new homes are expected to be built in Kirklees by 2023, according to the council.
The homes are expected to be in Huddersfield and other surrounding areas under Kirklees’ Local Plan.
In the last month alone saw an approval given to 600 homes in the borough, which is around a third of the annual target put in place by the authority.
Deputy Leader of the Council, Clr Peter McBride, said “a significant number” of the homes being built were prefabricated units “that would minimise energy use”.
He added: “This shows how the council is bringing its power and influence to bear: to ensure that approvals turn into deliveries to ensure that our social ambitions are realised in the execution of our planning.”
The Local Plan was adopted by the council last February.
Government Initiative
31,000 homes were ordered by the government to be completed within 15 years, many of which will have to be built within the green belt, as there is insufficient non-green belt land in the borough.
This number equates to building 1,730 homes per annum in the borough.
At least 20% of the total number of homes will be made affordable and will deliver extra care provisions “throughout the borough”.
Among the land allocated for housing are 41 council-owned sites.
Outlining the latest stage of the housing delivery plan at a meeting of the council’s decision-making Cabinet, Clr McBride said: “The Local Plan approved 11 months ago gave us the approval and momentum to build 31,000 houses in the next 15 years.
“The report shows exactly what we have chosen for all our major sites and gives us an update on success so far.
“The evidence is strong that the momentum of the plan and the delivery programme of the council are quickly coming to fruition,”
Some residents were furious and objected to the development and said the land on which the houses would be built was an ancient floodplain, whilst Granny Lane itself regularly floods the nearby River Calder and via the flow down from the hills that can overwhelm underground culverts.
Nonetheless, the plans will commence.