Batley mill plans passed, begrudgingly.

Managers applied to Kirklees Council for permission to use an outdoor space in the complex’s car park for retail use, despite a retrospective application to use Redbrick as a retail outlet passed just months ago forbidding such use.

The application came before the Heavy Woollen Planning sub-committee on Thursday.

Councillors on the sub-committee commented this was the second time Redbrick sought permission for something it was already doing; the first being making the building into a retail outlet, which it had been doing for several years.

Referring to the long running campaign, agent for the mill in Bradford Road, Robert Halstead said: “I hope the sub-committee will grant planning permission, putting this matter finally to bed. I, for one, will be extremely grateful.”

Chairing the sub-committee, Coun Paul Kane said: “It does stick in the craw a little bit. I think Redbrick is treating this planning committee with a little bit of contempt.”

For more on this story see this week’s paper.