Issue - meetings

Erection of storage and distribution unit (Use Class B8) with ancillary offices, car parking, servicing, landscaping and access at land west of M62, south of Whitehall Road, Cleckheaton.

Ward affected: Cleckheaton

Contact: Victor Grayson, Planning Services

Please note that any member of the public who wishes to make a verbal representation on this application at the meeting must register no later than 10.00am on Monday 13 March 2023. To pre-register, please email governance.planning@kirklees.gov.uk or telephone 01484 221000 - extension 73896 (Sheila Dykes) or extension 74993 (Andrea Woodside).

In accordance with the Council’s public speaking protocol for Planning Committees, verbal representations shall be limited to a maximum of three minutes.

Refused.

The Committee considered Application 2021/92603 in respect of the erection of a storage and distribution unit (Use Class B8) with ancillary offices, car parking, servicing, landscaping and access at land west of the M62, south of Whitehall Road, Cleckheaton.

It was noted that site visits had taken place on Tuesday 14^th March and Wednesday 15^th March 2023.

Under the provisions of Council Procedure Rule 36(3), the Committee received representations from Councillor Kath Pinnock, Councillor John Lawson, Councillor Elizabeth Smaje and Councillor Andrew Cooper

Under the provisions of Council Procedure Rule 37, the Committee received representations from Kim Leadbeater MP, Bradford Councillor Sarah Ferriby, Nicola Gatenby, Dar Shivtiel, Ian Abbott, Alison Abbott, Judith Johnston, Max Rathmell, Matthew Beardsworth, Sharon Lewis, Barry Lewis, Ciaran Lewis, Bill Blackledge and Nick Willock (in objection) and David Benfell, Sally Miles, Ian Dix, Nigel Mann, Brett Coles and Neil Travis (on behalf of the applicant).

Resolved –

That the application be refused for the following reasons:

1.    The design does not respect and protect the landscape character of the area and is therefore contrary to Policy LP32 of the Kirklees Local Plan and Paragraph 174 of the National Planning Policy Framework.

2.    The proposal is contrary to the principles of Policy LP64 of the Kirklees Local Plan due to the size of the development.

3.    There would be an unacceptable adverse impact on residential amenity, including local air quality (contrary to Policy LP51 of the Kirklees Local Plan), as a result of the size and scale of the development and the lack of a sufficient buffer zone to the houses on Whitechapel Road.

4.    There would be an unacceptable adverse impact on the amenity of the adjacent cemetery.

5.    There would be an unacceptable adverse impact on the local highway network.

6.    A masterplan was not produced in accordance with the requirements of Policy LP5 of the Kirklees Local Plan.

7.    A bio-diversity net gain cannot be achieved on the site or within the vicinity.

A recorded vote was taken, in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 42(5), as follows:

For: Councillors Armer, Hawkins, Pinnock and Thompson (4 votes)

Against: Councillors Hall, Homewood and Pattison (3 votes)