A PUBLIC meeting will be held in Copley village to discuss proposals to build a huge array of homes, offices and workshops nearby.
Many ideas have already been discussed for redeveloping the valley bottom, between Copley and Sowerby Bridge.
The meeting on Monday, October 20, at Copley School will look at the effects on the wider area, flood risks, traffic, wildlife and the ec
ology.
Many Copley residents have complained about the lack of meetings in their village, which is downstream of the development site.
They have been particularly concerned about the effect on the River Calder and the inadequacy of flood defences near their homes.
According to project officer Toby Meekings the scheme to create up to 400 jobs involves restoring the derelict and contaminated former Standard wire works, opposite the HBOS data centre in Wakefield Road, and the former water treatment works at Milner Royd.
The Calderdale Unitary Development Plan, against which all development proposals in the district must be assessed, shows the land needed for flood defences as agreed with the Environment Agency, proposals for a wildlife habitat, and the area which can be used for housing and jobs.
"The type of jobs and the number, type and design of the houses has not been agreed."
Calderdale Council and Yorkshire Forward have funded the acquisition of the land and feasibility work.
However, the scheme is reliant on private funding and will only proceed if the value of the development can cover the cost of a new road through the site and create the wildlife areas and environmental improvements required.
"Traffic consultants have used national standards to assess whether the traffic generated from the development could be accommodated on local roads, subject to improvements.
"It revealed the traffic increase was not significant," said Mr Meekings.
The Copley school meeting will start at 6pm.
The full article contains 317 words and appears in Evening Courier newspaper.
