Lyra Auld

Residents say Batley’s Wilton Park has become unsafe and poorly maintained despite receiving a Green Flag award in July. Complaints include litter, rats, overgrown areas and a memorial bench burned beyond repair. Kirklees Council acknowledges the park has not been at its best, citing reduced budgets, staffing pressures and recent warm weather, while promising more regular maintenance, improved entrances and work on herbaceous borders.

Kirklees councillors unanimously refused Harmony House Retreat’s application to convert 143 Church Lane in Gomersal into a children’s home for up to four children. The applicant argued that the proposal would provide a safe, family-style environment and that opposition was driven by misinformation, while neighbours and councillors raised concerns about traffic, parking, access and whether the home was suitable for children with complex needs. Although West Yorkshire Police and Kirklees Children’s Service reportedly opposed the proposal on safeguarding grounds, officers advised that these issues were outside the planning committee’s remit. The application was rejected on four planning grounds, including overbearing extensions and insufficient parking for a site potentially accommodating eight vehicles.

Plans have been submitted for a temporary 200‑space car park and office site in Huddersfield to support workers on the £11.5bn Transpennine Route Upgrade. The application includes EV charging stations and conditions requiring removal once work concludes. Progress on the project continues, with major redevelopment already underway at Huddersfield’s Grade‑I listed station, expected to deliver expanded platforms, a new layout, a footbridge and a refurbished roof.