Ice cream business among objectors to new 21-home development on brownfield Calderdale site

Messrs Thornber have applied for planning permission to demolish buildings and build 21 homes at the former Cal Val Works at Hoo Hole, Cragg Road, Mytholmroyd.

But objectors, including long-standing ice cream business Royd Ices, are concerned placing homes so near to businesses in an area Calderdale Council planning officers say is an established industrial area will cause conflict over noise issues in the future.

The company says it is an established industrial site with no restrictions on hours of working and no restrictions on permitted development rights.

Officers agree and are advising councillors they should refuse the application because the possible harm done in affecting future business operations would greatly outweigh the benefit of new homes – of which Calderdale is not building enough – in this case.

A senior council environmental health officer says: “The placing of residential accommodation between two industrial sites has the potential to lead to housing of a less desirable quality if the windows have to be kept closed at all times or gardens are noisy from industrial activity.”

Immediately to the north of the site is the Royd Ices premises, where ice cream is manufactured and distributed across the country through a 40-vehicle fleet.

Access to the main Cragg Road is across an open surfaced yard area adjoining Royd Ices, the council’s Planning Committee members, who will determine the application when they meet next Tuesday, February 15 (2pm) are told.

The applicant had an application to develop 21 homes there permitted under delegated powers in September, 2018 – but this was quashed subsequently in March 2019 as the result of a successful judicial review brought on grounds including a failure to correctly assess noise from Royd Ices’ air handling units.

Following the Judicial Review proceedings and the Quashing Order, the applicant has basically resubmitted the same plans and proposals, but with the addition of amended plans and a final noise statement, briefing papers to councillors say.

Two letters of objection have been received against the current application.

The applicants consider they have since addressed the grounds of judicial review.

In particular, a comprehensive noise assessment has been undertaken over a two week summer period in order to fully assess the noise environment in connection with Royd Ices business activities which concludes the proposed development would be unlikely to result in complaints and would not therefore place unreasonable operational constraints on the adjacent Royd Ices business, they argue.

But Royd Ices’ objection counters this, saying in their statement: “The injection of residential properties within an established employment area should simply not be allowed to come to fruition.

“It is considered to be out of character with the street scene and pattern of development and will inevitably give rise to noise complaints.”

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