Debate over where 10,000 Calderdale homes will be built over the next 15 years

Calderdale Council planners told phase two of the inquiry into the borough’s draft local plan, led by Planning Inspector Katie Child, how it developed strategy to inform sites included in it.

The council’s Planning lead, Richard Seaman, said some parts of the borough has protected status in the South Pennines, while parts of the Calder Valley presented particular issues of flood risk with topography restrictions coming into play.

These western parts of Calderdale lent themselves to a more “pepper pot” approach to planning where new homes might be developed, he said.

There were factors affecting some eastern areas, for example the crossroads at Hipperholme, but it was more suitable for growth and strategic planning, such as the new rail station planned for Elland, said Mr Seaman.

“Clearly east Calderdale lends itself to greater potential for infrastructure delivery.

“These factors were taken into account in preparing individual sites and carrying out a sustainable process,” he said.

Coun Steven Leigh (Con, Ryburn) said the plan was already contentious and growth targets would be very challenging post COVID-19 pandemic.

“If we have false growth expectations that has led to planning estimates of excessive population growth.

“That then gives an estimated need for housing based on falsely amplified growth figures which become a loss of green belt – which will become, unless we are careful, a big white elephant.

“This plan is no longer fit for purpose,” he said.

Andrew Wood of CPRE (Campaign to Protect Rural England) said people’s concerns lay in the potential loss of green space and areas being blighted by the growth of road traffic resulting from new developments.

The plan, he said “must demonstrate it will deliver things like measurable traffic reduction.”

Adam Jackson, of Lichfields, speaking for Persimmon Homes, said Shelf was a sustainable location and could accept more homes.

Andrew Rose, of Spawforth Associates, for Keyland Developments Ltd, said at the first stage of the hearings he submitted there was too little development for Elland but the council had gone some way to addressing those issues.

Nick Pleasant, of NJL Consulting, speaking for Clifton Village Neighbourhood Forum, said Halifax should be top of the hierarchy for growth.

But Brighouse, which should get 20 per cent of new housing and employment growth, was getting 40 per cent in the Local Plan – the effect was a commuter settlement would be created, he said.

Brian Crossley, of Shelf and Northowram Local Plan Forum, said by focusing on eastern and south eastern Calderdale settlements in the west would lose out on growth.

He added: “If we can’t develop those areas because of environmental or geographical constraints, there is an argument for the borough as a whole that it can’t sustain this level of development.”

Amanda Tattersall, speaking individually, said areas around Todmorden, which is in the upper Calder Valley on the west side of Calderdale, were not losing land.

If topographical matters would prevent development, she said, it “shows Calderdale’s limited capacity to accommodate development.”

Jonathan Dunbavin, of ID Planning, for Thornhill Estates, argued sites on the western side of Calderdale, including sites free from constraints such as those planned as Garden Suburbs, were sustainable.

Of the Garden Suburbs Mr Dunbavin said: “We believe Woodhouse can fully deliver on the plan quickly and Clifton nearly 1,500 homes in the planned period. Woodhouse phase two is being planned.”

Paul Copeland, for the council, said mapping had been carried out regarding flooding to see which areas were accessible and which were not.

Ed Greenwood, speaking about sites in Greetland included in the plan, said these were purely predicated by developer interest and Mr Crossley said despite developers wanting to build thousands of houses on the area’s green fields it did not alter the fact the area had few services.