Act now to prevent the destruction of skelmanthorpe.

The threat from development may seem very remote at present, with building at a standstill and house prices falling. But, the threat to our area when the recession is over is very real.

Kirklees has produced the latest plan for the development of housing and industry over the next 15 years. One of the options put forward (option 3) calls for 2400 houses to be built on green land around Skelmanthorpe, more than doubling the size of the village.

In addition they propose that 35 hectares (around 90 acres) of green land should be used for business and industrial development. This is a massive increase, which would result in not only the destruction of the environment, but huge increases in heavy goods traffic.

If you would like to see the full development plan visit the Kirklees web site listed at the end of this document.
Consider the impact of such a development on our community:

• We would lose most of the Green land surrounding the village.
• Traffic volumes would more than double. With the addition of the industrial area they would probably treble.
• The road system would not be able to cope and there is little scope to improve local roads.
• Parking would become a major problem.
• The sewage system would be inadequate, where would a new system be built?
• There would be a huge increase in surface water from roads and roofs, where would this go? Currently all surface water runs into the Baildon Dike, which already floods at times of heavy rain.
• There would be a need for new water mains, sewers and electricity supplies creating disruption while they are installed.
• There would be a need to build new schools capable of accommodating more than double the existing numbers.
• There would be an increasing pressure on local medical facilities, sports facilities, parks, green spaces, youth facilities etc.

Worst of all, the village we all know would disappear to create a heavily congested town.

So what can you do?

Raise your objections to option 3 with Kirklees today, and ask your friends and neighbours to do the same, in one of the following ways:

Email local.development@kirklees.gov.uk or visit the web site at www.kirklees.gov.uk/localdevelopment or write to:

Core strategy Consultation (DPI)
Planning & Building Control Services
Kirklees Council
PO Box B93
Civic Centre III
Off Market Street
Huddersfield
HD1 2JR

A letter to help you

To help you we have created a letter for you to download, which you can simply print off, add your address and sign. Then post or Email it to the address above. If you can add further points of your own, to the letter, please do.

Hurry, the deadline is Friday 3 April.

It may seem weeks away but time goes quickly, so do it today.

Attend the drop-in meeting on 4 March.

You can also attend a drop-in meeting at Skelmanthorpe Library on 4 March at any time form 3 to 7pm to talk to Council staff about the proposals. Please attend and make your objections known.

Please tell your neighbours and friends and ask them to raise objections too. If they haven't got access to Email please print off copies of this document and the letter and give them copies.

Please Email these documents to as many people as possible in our area and ask them to object to these proposals.

The future of Skelmanthorpe, Scissett, Clayton West and Denby Dale depends on it.