ON March 11 I attended Calderdale Council's planning meeting in Halifax regarding the proposed development of 58 houses and flats at King Street, Hebden Bridge.

Here are some of the points I made to the planning committee:

• The proposed development is on a flood plain.


• There is a pollution problem.


• There are already many empty flats in Hebden Bridge.


• Would the town be able to absorb another thousand or more people?


• Speed limits have been cut to 20mph in Hebden Bridge and another pelican crossing has been made opposite the Co-op, thus slowing down traffic, creating more pollution.

Surely these were enough to think again about this development.
The committee chairman asked me what my objection was to this development. I said it was the wrong kind of development.

How can you have commercial units, flats and private housing on one site? No one mentioned the size of the units and how many lorries would be going there.

The entrance to the site is about 30 yards from the Heptonstall turning circle. With all the extra private cars and commercial vehicles from the development you can draw your own conclusions as to what disruption there will be, particularly at peak times.

Also this extra traffic will create more pollution on Market Street.
On the same night I attended a meeting in Hebden Bridge dealing with air quality in the town. It was confirmed that there are high levels of nitrogen dioxide on Market Street, Hebden Bridge.

This goes to show what a waste of time it was explaining the disadvantages of the proposed scheme to the planning committee. It appeared that the outcome was a foregone conclusion.

If I lived on Market Street I would be taking legal advice and lobbying the Government to get the plans for this development changed.

I would like to thank Coun Allen Clegg (Ind, Warley) for his support and the constructive points he put forward at the planning meeting. All to no avail, unfortunately!

Tony Walker