Newsome Residents and Councillors campaign to save farm fields

Residents and Cllrs gather to protest against Newsome fields being allocated as development land

Newsome Residents gathered to express their opposition to Kirklees proposals, in the Draft Local Plan to allocate land for new housing on local green fields. They are backed by local Green Party Councillors.

Councillor Andrew Cooper said,

“These fields, though owned by Kirklees,  are part of the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust’s  Stirley Community Farm Estate. Their business plan for running the Community Farm, which is highly valued by the local community, is partly based on this land. The land is also part of the green corridor of land leading up towards Castle Hill. The footpaths through the field allows people to walk up to the iconic Huddersfield high point through countryside and as such is part of the valued heritage of the whole town. ”

Other issues have been raised regarding the site and its suitability for development  including very practical issues with drainage, significant evidence of old mine workings and poor access routes to the site.