Angry residents vow to fight proposal for agricultural shed in picturesque Calderdale hamlet

Spring, on the outskirts of Wainstalls, is situated at the top of the Luddenden Dean valley, and could soon be the site of a large agricultural building to house cattle on Haigh Cote Farm.

The application says the proposed building will accommodate up to 200 cattle.

Residents opposing the plans say the land on which the “unusually large” building would be situated would be only 70 metres from properties on Spring Terrace.

Wainstalls Action Group are leading the opposition to the plans, and say the welfare of animals is the underlying reason for their objections.

"You don't require an environmental agency permit to intensively rear cattle," said the group in a statement.

"Sentient beings are not even considered as part of a planning application process and they should be.

"As we have investigated the proposal our knowledge and understanding has expanded and our concerns include for example climate change, wildlife impact, traffic flood implications to name only a few areas."

The group say that environmentalist and animal rights campaigner Heather Mills has shared her objections with Calderdale Council over the proposal.

The group added: "How many people know that Calderdale has a draft Climate Action Plan 2022-25 with a challenging target to reach net zero by 2038?

"There is no silver bullet, instead a range of 12 powerful solutions, one of those being a diet change to reduce red meat and poultry consumption by 32 per cent, leading to a 24 per cent reduction in sheep and cattle.

"Please say no to intensive farming in Wainstalls and Calderdale. Let's support achieving net zero and add your comments on the council's planning portal."

Debbie Wilson, also from the group, said: "This is not a farm and this is not farming.

"There is no farmstead and no one lives on this land.

"This a proposal to build a factory and fill it with up to 200 cows and allow them 2.25 meters space for up to 100kg in weight. Imagine that!

"This method of rearing animals is the worlds biggest cause of animal cruelty.

"Animal agriculture is the second largest contributor to human made greenhouse gas emissions.

"At the time of writing the COP27 are meeting in Egypt with the stated aim to reduce global warming by at least 1.5 degrees and preferably 2 degrees.

"Calderdale must say no to this proposal and to all future ones."

Halifax born businessman John Varey said: "Not only would the approval cancel all the environment efforts that the council have participated in but also that Halifax has developed an International reputation as the place to visit.

"Shibden Hall, The Piece Hall with International gigs, known for its fantastic architecture and heritage, several well known TV series and films have chosen Halifax as their preferred location and Calderdale Council focused on taking the necessary action on climate.

"If something of this nature was to be approved it could seriously harm the town's reputation and all the fantastic work.

Another one of the residents opposed to the application, Rose Charnock, said: "If Calderdale were to permit this application it could set a precedence for intensive farming and would have ramifications throughout the borough, allowing out of scale, intensive farming on residents' doorsteps."

Councillor Jane Scullion, (Lab, Luddendenfoot), said: "I have called this application in for fuller discussion at a meeting of the Planning Committee for two reasons.

"The first is that as one of the local councillors it is part of my job to represent community views and the second is that I want to ensure that all of the relevant planning related issues that are likely to affect local people, such as potential impact on water courses or significant change to the character of the green belt, are fully discussed.

"It is the Planning Committee who will make the final decision."

Calderdale Council’s Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Resilience, Coun Scott Patient, said: “We are currently considering the planning application for an agricultural building on land off Spring Terrace in Halifax.

"As part of the application process we will take into account objections, along with any other comments or representations made on the application."

Farm owner John Lubrook told the Courier: "I've been told there's people round here known as the Wainstalls Mafia because they all group together and get stuff thrown out.

"There were no comments on the application and then suddenly there were comments from Barnsley, London, all over the place - how do they know about it?

"They talk about intensive farming, well most farms are intensive to some extent or it's not viable.

"It's not that the animals are getting malnourished or crammed into a tight building and they've no space, that's rubbish.

"They're calves from dairy cows that are either shot or reared when they don't have a mother, that's all I'm doing.

"Isn't it a lot more humane that they have a nice life while they're here, they're happy, they're fed, they're content as opposed to being shot at a couple of days old and being thrown in a trailer?

"I've had gates being opened, fences being damaged - is that someone trying to cause me problems?

"They're talking about the track, which is also rubbish because the bin wagon comes up it, so if that does how can a straw wagon not?

"The comments they're making are total nonsense. They've talked about the noise from extractor fans but there won't be any more noise than there is now and no-one's complained yet.

"And if the welfare is such an issue then I definitely need a shed don't I, because without the shed, what's the welfare like then?

"A lot of people don't know where their meat comes from but here, if they want to see the animals they can come and see them.

"They'll see they have as much corn, straw, hay and water as they want.

"The shed I've put in for is designed in such a way that helps the breathing and growth of calves."

Mr Lubrook says the proposed building would cost around £180,000 to build and would be 60 metres long.

"The reason I've done it that way is that portal framed buildings are cheaper if you buy them narrow and add length to it," he said.

Mr Lubrook is a third-generation farmer and purchased the site at the beginning of the year.

"I've farmed with my granddad and my dad all my life and I've bought this little place up here to farm myself," he said.

"I know what I'm doing.

"I've saved up a load of money to buy it, worked hard for the money and I want to do it because I enjoy it.

"I like farming and I want my kids to farm, I want to build a farm here for them to take over."