The site had long been classified as a stalled site by Kirklees Council due to a range of complexities. These included surrounding properties, visual splay requirements, rights of access to rear gardens recorded on legal titles, adverse possession claims, and other historic constraints. Despite previous approvals, these issues made it virtually impossible to commence development. The previous landowner had spent tens of thousands on applications and time, with no progress.
We focused on untangling the title issues step by step, prioritising the resolution of access rights and rights of way to unlock the site’s potential. Negotiating adverse possession was a key part of this process and took two years to complete. Once resolved, we partnered with Mark Oliver Homes, supporting them through a revised planning application, which ultimately led to successful approval.
