Decision to put modifications to Calderdale Council’s draft Local Plan out to consultation will now be implemented

Calderdale Council Cabinet’s decision had been called in for scrutiny by opposition councillors, putting the process on hold.

But a majority of board members ultimately supported releasing the decision for implementation and the consultation process can begin shortly.

The main modifications – some changes to the plan – had been requested by Government-appointed Planning Inspector Katie Child, who has overseen the Local Plan process and hearings and who will ultimately decide whether it is sound and should be implemented.

Place Scrutiny Board chair Coun Regan Dickenson (Con, Rastrick), Coun Steven Leigh (Con, Ryburn) and Coun Howard Blagbrough (Con, Brighouse) called in Cabinet’s decision to begin the consultation period, and after considering responses it is expected the Inspector will make her decision.

Issues have been particularly contentious in south and eastern Calderdale areas including Brighouse, Greetland, Hipperholme, Northowram and Shelf.

Coun Leigh told the scrutiny board members the call-in councillors believed the decision was “unsound”.

The draft Local Plan had been controversial and they believed the consultation should be deferred until the inspector had approved or not the council’s proposed modifications.

The consultation process had to be reasonable and that meant for people to reasonably have the chance to consider more than 100 different items and potentially thousands of pages of document the time limit should both be extended and not begun until after the school summer break weeks, when families might be on holiday, he said.

Responding, Cabinet member for Regeneration and Strategy, Coun Jane Scullion (Lab, Luddenden Foot) said the inspector had written to the council, without prejudicing her ultimate decision, saying that she believed the plan was capable of being found sound and legally compliant subject to these main modifications and it was important these were released so people could give their views on them.

National guidance allowed for a six week process and with the call-in halting the process subject to the board’s decision it was suggested the consultation period run from August 12 to October 8, she said.

People would then effectively have had around 14 weeks from July when cabinet considered the papers to examine the proposals, said Coun Scullion.

It was also a “chicken and egg” situation – the Inspector could not formally give her opinion on the plan until after the consultation.

Councillors Peter Caffrey (Con, Hipperholme and Lightcliffe) and Tina Benton (Con, Brighouse) criticised the plan process, voiced infrastructure concerns and called for extended time for the consultation.

But Coun Paul Bellenger (Lib Dem, Greetland and Stainland) said beginning consultation should not be delayed, if families were home with their children during school holidays that would give them more time – delaying ran the risk of the inspector turning round and saying ‘you have had enough time’.

“It needs to start, soon as,” he said.

Coun Jenny Lynn (Lab, Park) said new homes were needed urgently and adoption of the plan was important.

“The need to be able to get on with development that hopefully will be realised from eventual adoption of the Local Plan cannot come soon enough – our waiting list for housing is very long and people are struggling to buy homes or rent them,” she said.

Clifton resident Jason Carlton, expressed concern about people being reasonably able to read 5,000 pages of documents, some of which had not been seen before, Hipperholme resident Roger Drayton claimed documents relating mitigation measures in the area were missing and Anthony Rae of Calderdale Friends of the Earth said he had not received a transport data note he had asked for years ago – and he had now withdrawn from the “discredited” process after years of being involved.

Planning lead officer Richard Seaman said the inspector had been meticulous in ensuring documents were consulted on through the process and Coun Scullion said she and Mr Rae would have to agree to disagree – as far as the council was concerned he had been supplied with the appropriate information.

Coun Dickenson urged as many people as possible to take part in the consultation process.