New home plans in Elland: Councillors told to approve plans for 233 new homes near Calderdale school despite traffic worries

Next Tuesday (December 3), Calderdale Council’s planning committee will consider Crest Nicholson Operations Ltd’s application to build 233 homes at land next to Old Earth Primary School on Lower Edge Road, in Elland.

Planning officers recommend councillors approve the proposals, subject to a number of conditions and legal agreements to guarantee 46 of the new homes will be “affordable”, and 10 of those being bungalows – for which there is a lot of unmet demand.

But objectors are concerned about the impact increases in traffic brought by the new homes might bring, particularly relating to proximity of the school, and with claims the scheme’s traffic modelling is outdated.

Further vehicle traffic will bring further delays, in particular during school times, which already results in traffic jams and inconvenient parking in nearby residential streets, say objectors.

Creating a further opening onto Shaw Lane would be dangerous, they also say.

The road is already congested for the majority of the day, not just with school drop off and pick up times but lunch time nursery changeovers, after school activities, deliveries, bin lorries, and traffic from a nearby quarry, they argue.

The report to councillors says: “Residents struggle to access their own properties and have been on the receiving end of abuse and witnessed multiple vehicles mounting the kerb in frustration at the long queues.”

Responding, council highways officers acknowledge the concerns but say the roads can take projected amounts of extra traffic.

“The transport assessment has demonstrated that the highway network could accommodate the traffic generated by the development,” they say.

“The site access would also be safe, albeit it would require the extension of the single yellow lines that presently exist on Lower Edge Road.

Regarding concerns about the modelling, highways officers argue “traffic levels are, in fact, still below pre-Covid levels.”

The legal agreements seek to secure £334,762 to be spent on improving open spaces within within 1,200 metres of the site.

It also seeks £118,040 funding towards sustainable travel for future residents.