Mirfield campaigners seek legal advice after homes approved
- Published
Mirfield residents have been opposing the plans since 2019
Campaigners opposed to plans to build new homes on a flood plain have said they will take legal advice after an inspector approved the scheme.
Miller Homes' plan to build a 67-home estate on Granny Lane, in Mirfield, was rejected by Kirklees Council's planning committee in 2021.
However, a planning inspector judged the scheme, external would not have a harmful effect on flooding in the area.
Campaigners said their evidence regarding flooding was not considered.
The ruling from the planning inspectorate comes after Mirfield experienced flooding as the River Calder burst its banks following Storms Dudley, Eunice and Franklin.
In a statement to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, a spokeswoman for the Granny Lane Area Action Group (GLAAG) and Save Mirfield said the flooding had been worse than ever.
"We had two red warnings, which is unheard of, and ambulances couldn't get through," she said.
"We were completely cut off in Mirfield, just stranded.
"How on earth could the inspector say that that is safe?"
The inspector did not believe concerns over access due to flooding should prevent the development
The plans for the area were initially given consent by Kirklees Council in 2019, however it returned to the council following questions about inaccurate flood zone information.
The committee then refused the scheme in February 2021, prompting the company to appeal.
Planning inspector Chris Baxter said while it was likely that Granny Lane would flood making access difficult, he did not expect the main access to be blocked for a "significant period".
He also believed the emergency access provision to the estate would allow residents to get to their homes.
The campaigners said they would take legal advice to see if there was anything further they could do to prevent the development going ahead.
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