Homes plan in Northowram thrown out by Calderdale councillors amid concerns about privacy and over-development

Calderdale planning officers had recommended councillors permit North Peak Properties’ application to build the homes on land at the back of Back Clough, Northowram.

But after asking questions about the plans and hearing from concerned residents and a councillor speaking on their behalf, councillors threw out the proposals.

Concerns about over-development of the site and privacy of neighbouring homes, including one where bedrooms would be next to a turning area to serve the new homes, influenced their decision.

Councillors were also unhappy with the size of gardens and also asked about how a communal area of land would be managed.

Officers said the plans reduced house numbers from a previous application and some biodiversity improvements improved the balance of harm to benefit, though that was ultimately for councillors to judge.

Two residents told Calderdale Council Planning Committee of concerns over the application, one challenging an assertion that a shrubbery hedge protected the privacy of one home – the resident said there wasn’t one – and another raising the issue of another home being exposed to traffic using the turning area.

There was no screening and one neighbour would have the turning area at the level of a bedroom window, they said.

Coun Peter Caffrey (Con, Northowram and Shelf) said there were serious privacy concerns.

An agent for the applicant responded that the scheme before councillors satisfied all the authority’s guidelines.

On the issue of screening, the applicant believed residents would not want it there, he said.

Coun Faisal Shoukat (Lab, Park) said the omission of one of the plots would solve a lot of the issues councillors raised, but as it stood you got the sense it was being overdeveloped.

Coun David Kirton (Con, Hipperholme and Lightcliffe) agreed and believed as it stood there would be significant overlooking of some other homes.

A lack of amenity space for the new homes also concerned Coun Robert Thornber (Con, Ryburn).

Coun Paul Bellenger (Lib Dem, Greetland and Stainland) said he was worried about the overbearing nature of one of the plots.