Controversial Calderdale mill conversion to 18 apartments gets go-ahead

Six weeks ago they had deferred a decision on Kirklees Estates’ proposals to make the changes at Linden Works, Hebden Bridge, to see if there was a way they could ensure the development was effectively made car-free.

Calderdale Council’s Planning Committee members had asked planning officers to explore the option after hearing Bristol City Council were imposing such restrictions.

But officers said imposing a legal agreement to ensure this would be likely to be challenged legally – however the council could put an informative on the permission which effectively tells people who might buy an apartment that there is no entitlement to a permit.

Their recommendation to councillors remained the same – that they should be mindful to permit it subject to legal agreements relating to open space, affordable housing and parking restrictions in the local area.

Councillors agreed, despite hearing from Robert Garrett and Coun Josh Fenton-Glynn (Lab, Calder), objecting to the application – the council had received more than 70 objections, and Hebden Royd Town Council also opposed the application.

Coun Fenton-Glynn said he was not against housing and if these were family homes he would be supportive, but in this instance the community’s case was “compelling”.

“This is the wrong development in the wrong place,” he said.

Mr Garrett said if approved the proposals would put an additional 18 households plus vehicles into an already congested area and assumptions this would cause little strain on the area were misleading.

It might add around 16 new vehicles into an area where demand for unrestricted parking had resulted in “already overburdened streets” he said.

“The council has simply transferred responsibility for the parking issue to the developer, and the developer has no incentive to work with the community,” he said.

He described access routes as largely unadopted, cobbled, potholed and in poor condition, and was concerned heavy lorries and machinery using the roads while development work took place would worsen them and cause noise nuisance.

Generally, increases in traffic would put children who played on the streets at risk, said Mr Garrett.

Coun Audrey Smith (Lab, Sowerby Bridge) asked if a reduced number of flats and retaining some commercial use was a possibility but agent for the applicant, Roger Lee, said he did not think so as it would not be viable.

If residential was not a possibility, industrial use would have to be a lot heavier than businesses currently occupying units there as the mill would have to generate more income, and this would bring more noise and traffic, he said.

Mr Lee said concerns raised at the last meeting about a storage area had been satisfied and legal experts had given their view on the car-free development issue.

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