Supported housing gets the green light

MUCH DEBATE has been had over supposed supported housing being built on Hall Lane in Northowram, but the planning has finally been given the go ahead.
Building site on Hall Lane, NorthowramBuilding site on Hall Lane, Northowram
Building site on Hall Lane, Northowram

After residents in the area rejected the propsoal, the build has, after much debate, begun.

The eight apartments are to provide support for people with physical or learning disabilities. However, planning has been delayed for months after a minority of Northowram residents opposed the idea, concerned about a potential increase in traffic in the area.

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But for parents like Judy Jackson, this housing is a great and safe opportunity for her daughter, Lucy, to live independently.

She said: “It’s fantastic for people like my daughter. She builds up a little community at college, they work together, they socialise together, and living together is the next step.”

“Although some genuine concerns were raised, people were being generally narrow minded in their reasons for opposing the plan. It’s a great idea.”

“Lucy is in her last year at the Pennine Camphill Community College in Wakefield and now wants to be able to live with her friends, its been a chance for her to build up a network to support her. This will just be a home with workers supporting them.”

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The plan was originally informally met with criticism as 12 people from the local community came together to oppose the proposal. But when Judy and others found out about the project, more than 130 letters of support poured in, and councillors at the planning meeting approved the build. It is scheduled to be finished around February 2018.

The development is being led by Highstone Homes, and Supporting Housing director Joanne Hawley said: “Development is now underway and the build has begun.

“It would have started earlier and could have been finished by August this year ready for the college students, but we had to answer the questions put to us by those who opposed the plan. It got smoothly through the planning committee, but this means its running a few months behind into early next year.”

Dean Lister from Calderdale Council said: “This is a really welcome outcome and positive for those individuals currently in college who are planning to return to Calderdale in 2017/18.”