DEVELOPMENT CHARGES THREAT TO KSEZ
September 14, 2007 3:01 PM
Cllr John Smithson, Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats.
'Proposals by the Conservative administration to charge £8,000 per lorry load is a threat to future development down Leeds Road', says Cllr John Smithson, Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats.
Road improvements, including a new 'gyratory' at Cooper Bridge roundabout, costing overall over £12 million are necessary before the Leeds Road corridor can cope with new developments on the Syngenta site and other parts of Leeds Road.
'It has always been the plan to seek contributions from developers to help pay the costs of these roadworks. However the proposal to make the charge £7,876 per extra lorry load created at peak hours is exorbitant' comments Cllr Smithson. 'The going rate across the country for these sort of charges is around £2,000 per lorry load - a quarter of the Kirklees figure.
'It makes me wonder if the Conservatives are really serious about wanting to sustain the prosperity of Kirklees. Such massive charges - four times as high as the average - will inevitably put developers off and the whole scheme may well founder because of them. Our view was that we would always seek to gain the maximum contribution from developers but not price them out of the market.
'Yet again the Conservatives have got it wrong. They should reconsider these charges, look at what is charged nationally and fall into line. Not to do so is being pigheaded and a recipe for failure.'
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