Community square set to be built in Sowerby Bridge

Calderdale Council’s Cabinet heard land the council owns at Wharf Street, Sowerby Bridge, had to be appropriated for the new use so the legal holding power reflected the future use of the land.

In recent years Sowerby Bridge Market has been situated there, Cabinet agreeing two years ago to its demolition as it had never really worked in the spot after relocation.

Appropriation in this context means transferring the allocation of the land from one purpose to another – local authorities usually allocate land for specific purposes under different statutory powers.

Cabinet member for Regeneration and Strategy, Coun Jane Scullion (Lab, Luddenden Foot) said it was a technical change which had to be made.

At the moment the council held the land under the Local Government Act 1972 and following appropriation would hold it under the Outdoor Spaces Act 1906.

She said Sowerby Bridge Market, which has been located there some years ago, had been failing for some time and a view reflected across parties was that moving it to the then newly-built and central premises from Station Road had nevertheless not worked.

Sowerby Bridge Town Board agreed with this view and it was now intended to use the space for community events, ad hoc markets and public events.

Coun Scullion said it should be noted this excluded land where the old toilet block is because the possibility of using that space for the successful element of the relocated market, the cafe, was being explored.

“We have been looking at that, which is why it has been excluded from this particular site,” she said.

Coun Adam Wilkinson (Lab, Sowerby Bridge) welcomed the new scheme happening but criticised Conservatives he said had been saying at the weekend on their website that the market was closing because it had been poorly maintained by the council.

“It was decided by the Town Board it should be done because the market had never really succeeded,” he said.

Several Conservative councillors had agreed it had not worked and needed to be replaced by open space, said Coun Wilkinson.

Earlier this year councillors heard 1,600 people signed a petition to save the Pavilion Cafe at the market.

Owner Joy Ashworth had told them the café was well-used and should have a future.

Place Scrutiny Board councillors had heard the market moved from Station Road to newly built premises on the main Wharf Street in 2007 but since 2015 falling occupancy meant a struggle to be financially viable.

But Ms Ashworth said the café itself was thriving and if forced to close five staff members would lose their jobs and local businesses which supplied the café affected.

Ultimately the many customers who used the café, including groups from dog walking, cycling, golf and angling clubs, would lose out, she said.