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It's all off: Huge protest puts an end to wonky homes plan
A GROUNDSWELL of public protest last night persuaded councillors to turn down Calderdale's controversial £10 million "wonky homes" plan.
Scores of objectors emerged victorious from a special meeting of Calderdale Council planning committee that had to be held in a church hall to accommodate the crowd.
The 300 people who packed into the room gave a standing ovation as councillors rejected the proposed development in Garden Street, Hebden Bridge.
The scheme had been recommended for approval by planning officials.
During a highly-charged meeting where at least 40 people had to stand, Nader Fekri (Lib Dem, Calder), said: "It is not the officers' job to act as the developers' cheerleaders. The design would not look out of place in Manchester or Barcelona, but this is Hebden Bridge."
Anthony Rae, of the Garden Street Action Group, said: "Hebden Bridge is a small town. This development is too large and constitutes an over-intensification of the site."
He disputed the need for extra car parking spaces and said: "The protesters feel their town and businesses are threatened.
"They have been completely ignored and this development is being imposed by Calderdale Council."
Marilyn Brichard, speaking for the applicant, Hebden Royd Development LLP, said disruption during the construction would not be as bad as people thought.
"We have heard lots about 'We don't want it'. But I am at a loss why these people want to undermine years of work by Yorkshire Forward and the council," she said.
The "wonky homes", so-called because of their unusual design, would have been the biggest change to Hebden Bridge for 50 years.
The developers wanted to create an extra 55 car parking spaces with an underground car stacker, 24 flats, 24 houses and space for 16 new businesses.
However councillors who met at the King's Centre, Park Road, Halifax, voted five to two against the plans.
Peter Coles (Lib Dem, Luddenden Foot) said: "It would be stupid of us to ignore what 18 people on Hebden Royd Town Council unanimously refused.
"I am not sure this would be a development that Hebden Bridge is ready for."
Jennifer Pearson (Lib Dem, Warley) said: "Any development has to be not just good, but superb, and worthy of the town.
"The local residents don't think that and I think they have more experience to bring to bear than the Council for Architecture and the Built Environment and English Heritage."
Martin Peel (Con, Sowerby Bridge) said: "This application has considerable merit and really, hats off to the developer, for his ingenuity.
"Whether there are 300 or 3,000 objectors is not a material consideration.
"I have listened carefully to what the objectors have said, but numbers don't necessarily decide the right decision."
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Saturday 04 February 2012
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