Go-ahead for development on Halifax fire ravaged factory site

Back in May 2011, scores of firefighters fought a massive blaze at the former Titan Iron Works at Claremount Road, Boothtown, with neighbouring residents having to be evacuated from their homes until firefighters could be sure the fire would not spread.

And last November, residents asked for action to be taken over the site, for which outline planning permission had been given for homes earlier that year, claiming it was plagued by anti-social behaviour.

READ: Drug addict raiders steal more than £5000 worth of stock from Harveys of Halifax

There had been a number of issues which needed ironing out because a segment of the site was designated as green belt but the consensus of opinion from residents, council and local councillors was in favour of allowing change of use from the industrial site to housing partly because of continuing problems.

Comments from members of the public made about the land’s potential use as a housing site on the draft Local Plan have been overwhelmingly in favour of allowing the change of use.

READ: Calderdale care home placed in special measures

Now full planning permission, with some conditions attached, has been granted for the site by Calderdale Council planning officers under delegated powers to a housing group, with most of the homes being made available for either affordable rents or on a shared ownership basis.

Leeds-based Yorkshire Housing hopes to build 46 new homes on the site, 14 two-bedroom homes and 42 three-bedroom homes.

Twenty one homes, including all the two-bed homes, will be for affordable rent and 18 homes will be made available on a shared ownership basis, says a supporting statement on behalf of the applicants by MHN Architects.

Yorkshire Housing held a residential consultation was held in March.

The iron works company had gone into liquidation at the end of 2009.

READ: Why some of Calderdale’s older people are more likely to fall than others