Kirklees council urged to block Huddersfield apartment plans

Forty-four objectors are urging Kirklees Council to reject plans to bring two apartment blocks to the site of the former New Inn at Grange Moor.

Plans have been submitted to construct two apartment blocks containing ten and four homes respectively, and to convert the existing building into six apartments. This would see a total of 20 homes brought to the land at Briestfield Road.

The existing building that has stood vacant for around two years was formerly the New Inn and later became an Indian restaurant called Grameen Spice. The property is two-storeys and has an existing four-bedroom apartment on the first floor.

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Each new home would be one-bedroom with one parking space per apartment. The applicant also proposes cycle storage for 18 bikes.

The council’s Planning Sub-Committee for the Heavy-Woollen area will be making a decision on the application this Thursday (June 22).

Previously, the applicant wanted to bring 24 homes to the site but this was declined by the council for several reasons leading to a reduction of four units in the current application. The applicant also attempted to avoid the provision of affordable housing by submitting a viability assessment, but an independent assessor found that the homes could be provided.