33-home plan for ‘longstanding Huddersfield eyesore’ set for approval
There are plans for a derelict brownfield site in Milnsbridge
Plans for a “long-standing” Huddersfield “eyesore” will be determined by Kirklees Council this week.
At their meeting on Thursday (February 19), the Strategic Planning Committee will meet to decide on an application from Westshield for the construction of 33-homes on a plot of land at Dowker Street in Milnsbridge. The derelict brownfield site has been vacant since 2007.
The plans are being determined by the committee because they don’t offer the usual planning contributions. An independent assessment concluded that the site can’t viably support the normal affordable housing requirement of 20 per cent and Section 106 contributions while allowing a developer to make an acceptable level of profit.
Instead, it is envisaged that the opportunity is better suited to a not-for-profit developer to deliver 100 per cent affordable homes on site. According to planning documents, First Choice Homes Oldham in partnership with Westshield will deliver 12 social rent houses and 21 rent to buy apartments.
Under the latest proposals, the homes will have either two or three bedrooms, while the apartments are set to range from one to two bedrooms. A new access point would be created from Dowker Street and at least one parking space would be provided per property.
This isn’t the first time plans for the site have been brought forward, with permission previously granted for 35-homes back in 2024. However, site constraints have made these plans “unimplementable”, the council says. Prior to this, the site had been earmarked for 38 homes.
Members of the public had welcomed the previous proposal, with the former Chair of the Milnsbridge Enhancement Group describing the plot of land as a “long-standing eyesore”. This time around, no representations were made to the council.