The application relates to the former site of Cellars Clough Mills, Marsden, which ceased to operate in 1982 and fell into dereliction. It was later demolished in 2019 as part of previously secured planning permission which also allowed 55 homes to be built, though this hasn’t taken place.
If permission is granted for the latest plans, 75 homes would be laid out in four rows of houses and three short rows of terraced homes. The applicant says that this uplift in the number of properties is both “appropriate and necessary” in light of the “pressing need” to boost housing delivery in Kirklees.
The properties would have either two bedrooms (29), three bedrooms (36) or four bedrooms (10). Internally, the homes would have open plan kitchen and living spaces, and large windows and doors.
Parking for 116 vehicles, including four disabled spaces, would be located to the south of the site. The properties would be accessible to both vehicles and pedestrians via an access point on Manchester Road, with new pedestrian links also created.
Among the other facilities proposed are a shared garden, 206 secure cycle parking spaces and communal bin storage.
A planning statement on behalf of the applicant says: “The aim of the scheme is to create a modern, high-quality development that responds to and respects the character of the surrounding area, while fostering a strong sense of place.
“The proposal offers an opportunity to redevelop a previously developed parcel of land within the Green Belt, revitalising an area that has been disused for an extended period.
Only one public comment has been made on the plans so far, with this in objection. It reads: “It is completely insane to suggest that 75 (minimum) vehicles can safely enter and exit Manchester Road on a busy Z-bend.”
Kirklees Council has set a target date for a decision to be made on the plans as January 30, 2026.