Elderly resident 'in tears' over housing plans

DEVELOPERS BLAST SOME LOCALS OVER 'THREATENING' COMMUNICATIONS

- By ABIGAIL MARLOW

Councillor John Taylor

A VILLAGER has been left "in tears" over plans for a massive housing development near their Huddersfield home, while the developer has hit out at "threatening" locals.

An application from developer, Banks Group, seeks outline permission to build up to 110 homes on a plot of land at Eastfield in Shepley. The site is located within the Green Belt, though the developer argues it could be considered to be grey belt land.

Since the plans were published, the community has made its opposition clear, forming a campaign group - Shepley Fields Forever. So far more than 300 comments from members of the public have been made on the council's planning portal, with fears voiced that the proposed development would "irretrievably destroy" Shepley's rural character.

But the Banks Group say that their plans would "provide the new homes required to give more local people and families a greater opportunity to stay in the village" and help to address the "clear and pressing need" for more "quality homes" in the UK.