The Save Our Spen Action Group was formed by a small group of concerned residents, to oppose inappropriate development around the Spen Valley.                         https://saveourspen.co.uk 

PLEASE DONATE - WE NEED YOUR HELP & WE CAN'T DO THIS WITHOUT YOU

As many people who live around Kirklees are aware, there have been quite a few planning applications placed in the two years since the council approved the controversial Local Plan, some are still under consideration and some have been granted.

However the proposal that has brought us all together in sheer horror as to its size and unsuitability is the suggested development of a massive distribution warehouse on the fields off the A58, near the Chain Bar roundabout. What is truly worrying is that, at the moment, Kirklees planning department seems to be in favour of this development, ignoring the fact that if this application gets consent, this building is going to irrevocably change the area forever – and not in a good way. There will be increased traffic, noise and pollution from the hundreds of lorries and cars that will use the site 24 hours a day. However the problems will not be confined to those and they will not just affect the residents local to the site. Chain Bar and J26 of the M62, is used by almost everyone who lives in the wider area. The knock on effects of having a large area of concrete and tarmac where fields used to be will be felt for miles around in some surprising ways that have been overlooked by the planners. We the people who live in this area and know it the best need to make them aware and make them listen.

The Developers have a team of experts who are producing favourable reports to support their application. We need to employ our own professionals to counter their arguments and show the council and their planning officers the actual truth in a language that they understand. These reports and experts do not come cheap and the Developers have deep pockets, but we know that together, as a community, we too can match them – so please DONATE whatever you can.

WHO ARE WE?

We are local residents with regular day jobs, but we do feel we are much more aware of the local issues in North Kirklees than the council and its planning department sat in Huddersfield. We know what is good for this area and what is not. We have a sheer determination to make sure that Developers don’t just get away with applying for unsuitable projects just because they can make maximum profit and they think that they can get away with it by promising things that they later do not deliver once it is too late and the buildings have been built. We will put in our time and effort to push the council to consider local concerns seriously and take them into account before any decision is reached.

WHAT ELSE CAN YOU DO TO HELP?

Please check out our website (https://saveourspen.co.uk/) for more details of what is going on.

Once the application has actually been submitted, we will collate and disseminate information to ensure that you are aware of the best way of raising your objections and what issues are counted in planning law as material and what will be ignored. We still need as many people to object as possible, but if the objections are valid ones, this will be more effective in making our collective voices heard.

Timing is of the essence and in the short term the most important thing we can do is get the ball in motion to get counter reports written – for this we need money - so please DONATE whatever you can - large or small amounts - it all helps.