What has been happening in Hebden Bridge over the Garden Street home development proposal should concern us all – and at the same time leave us scratching our heads.

For the death threats made to a public relations officer and supporters of a controversial scheme in the town are so out of character, they are bizarre.

It is certainly not the way we deal with issues in Calderdale. The fact that this unnerving revelation comes on top of an unusual planning design – the wonky homes – adds to the oddity. But there is nothing funny about this latest twist.

It is claimed, in addition to the threats, a brick has been thrown through the window of the firm of architects behind the housing plan and cars have been damaged.

This is intimidation of a very serious nature and will be despised by everyone who wants to see our area become a better place to live and work.

Wonky homes might not be everyone's idea of the way to go and they might never get planning permission but we do need to invite innovative ideas from bright people inside and outside the district. And then we need a healthy, open debate on all the suggestions that come forward.
Threats and violence have no part to play in the process. It is astonishing that there is someone in the community who even thinks otherwise.

The police must do all that they can to catch them – it does appear they have been handed good evidence – and if this is as bad as it sounds, they should be taught a very harsh lesson about how highly we value our right that people are free to express themselves.