Controversial site in Greetland could still house supermarket

There is a live planning application for a site at the former Horsfall’s Mill, off Saddleworth Road, Greetland, which has seen residents renting homes on the corner of it being given notice to quit by the landowner.

But a ward councillor said the Planning Inspector overseeing Calderdale’s Local Plan, on which councillors will make a decision whether to adopt it within weeks, had indicated in her final report to the council it would not be suitable for such a use.

Coun Christine Prashad (Lib Dem, Greetland and Stainland) raised the issue in a question to Calderdale Council’s Cabinet this week.

She said: “In view of Katie Child’s report on the Local Plan with regard to the site, in which she states there is no clear evidence that the site is suitable for retail and that it would be reasonable to retain the site for housing and employment, can Cabinet confirm that they will be instructing planning officers to abide by Ms Child’s legally binding report on this particular site?”

Cabinet member for Regeneration and Strategy, Coun Jane Scullion (Lab, Luddenden Foot) said the inspector had not completely ruled out such a change of use.

Coun Scullion said Ms Child had written: “Accordingly, at this point in time, there is no clear evidence before me that the site is suitable for retail development or that such as scheme has a reasonable prospect of delivery.”

There was reference to residential use on the site, comprising apartments for the elderly.

But overall the Inspector wrote “I consider it would be a pragmatic and reasonable response to retain the housing/employment designation in the plan…the site is a brownfield site within the urban area and an applicant could choose to pursue and justify retail or alternative uses through the planning process,” said Coun Scullion.

Coun Scullion said: “It is clear from the conclusion above that whilst the inspector did not have sufficient information before her to conclude that the site is suitable for retail development, she did not reject the notion that justification could come forward through the planning application process in due course.”

She said at the current time the proposals for retail development of the site – a supermarket – were at pre-application discussion stage and if and when a planning application was submitted it would be assessed in its own merits in accordance with planning policy.

“In relation to this, it is not within the powers of Cabinet to instruct that a planning application is determined in a particular manner – applications are determined by Planning Committee, which is independent of Cabinet but will have regard to the advice of officers and representations made by interested parties,” said Coun Scullion.