Protest march to fight homes build

Last night, a campaign meeting at the Dewsbury Rams stadium was moved out into the stands because there was not enough room for the crowd inside.

The meeting was organised by members of Chidswell Action Group, who have delivered 10,000 leaflets to homes that could be affected by the council’s Local Development Framework.

The group agreed to hold a protest march on Saturday November 12. Protesters will meet outside The Huntsman Inn in Chidswell Lane, Shaw Cross, at 10am.

They will march to the fields where a 35 hectare business development could be built.

Campaigner Rod Lilley warned concerned residents that if 1,604 new homes are also built, as proposed, that could lead to an extra 2,000 cars on local roads.

He said: “It’s not just about it being green belt and it being our back yard.

“The road structure in this area can’t cope with another 2,000 cars. If you can imagine that it’s just not going to work.”

Dewsbury MP Simon Reevell gave the campaign his support. He said: “It’s going to be a long haul if we want to win this, but win it we can.”

Councillors in Dewsbury East and Batley East were criticised for not attending last night’s meeting.

The LDF is the council’s proposal to build 28,000 homes and create 35,000 jobs in Kirklees by 2028.

The suggestions for Chidswell have worried residents of Dewsbury, Batley and West Ardsley, whose homes overlook green belt land that may be developed.

Mr Lilley told last night’s meeting that the land had been bought by Church of England Commissioners in the summer.

The Rev Paul Crabb from St Paul’s Church in Hanging Heaton said: “We are very disappointed by the actions of the Church Commissioners. We have not been consulted at all.”