Huddersfield, the West Yorkshire home of Johnsons Wellfield Quarries, could lose the requirement in its Local Plan for local stone to be used for projects in the town centre and conservation areas.

The Local Plan is currently being revised and the draft revision has removed the local stone requirement from planning.

Huddersfield is renowned for its stunning sandstone architecture and grand listed buildings.

The revised Local Plan has been out for public comment and Huddersfield Civic Society has commented. It does not like the proposed change.

It fears Huddersfield’s character could be under threat and has vowed to fight the change, saying Huddersfield could lose its character as a stone town if the Local Plan goes ahead in its draft form.

The Civic Society says that in October 2011 it successfully lobbied the Government to include building materials in the design criteria that Local Plans should specify to reinforce local distinctiveness.

As a result, councils can still stipulate stone as the most suitable material to reflect the local identity.

Huddersfield Civic Society chairman Chris Marsden has told the Huddersfield Daily Examiner: “Sandstone is as fundamental to the character of Huddersfield as limestone is to the Cotswolds, granite is to Aberdeen and flint is to East Anglia.

"To remove its role as the preferred building material in key locations would be to denigrate the town’s history, geology and personality.

“Developers often want to cut costs by using cheaper cladding, artificial and reconstituted stone. Imitation stone not only weathers in an entirely different way from natural stone but, being concrete based, it is highly unsustainable.

“By stipulating local stone, the council is ensuring a much reduced carbon footprint as well as reinforcing the distinctiveness of the town.

“Clearly masonry is not suited to all building designs or purposes, but where it can be used in Huddersfield it should be stone and not a cheap and inappropriate alternative.”