Residents in Calderdale town back plan to help them decide planning applications

Eighty five per cent of people who voted in a referendum were in favour of a plan for their area to help decide planning applications.
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Now Calderdale Councillors are being asked to note the views of the people in Sowerby, which in practice means the plan will be adopted and form part of the development plan for the Sowerby Neighbourhood Plan area.

Sowerby Neighbourhood Forum prepared the plan, the first neighbourhood plan in Calderdale to have been through a referendum process to become part of the borough’s development plan.

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Non-staffing costs to complete the process were £15,762, say the briefing papers to councillors.

Sowerby Bridge town centreSowerby Bridge town centre
Sowerby Bridge town centre

The plan sets out a range of objectives to tackle six issues residents had identified in a public consultation as most important to them in when considering planning applications.

These were traffic and congestion, a lack of community facilities, a lack of community green space, play and recreational space, strain on infrastructure, local housing needs – in particular housing for individuals and the elderly – and sustainable housing and transport.

Goals include improving improving transport other than cars, retaining and improving employment including ensuring access to the current shopping area remains and is improved.

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Sowerby is a mainly rural area with the majority of economic stimulus through farms which are situated on green belt land and as such have their own legal protection.

Protecting the environment should be recognised by ensuring its policies on design and density are recognised by development, says the plan.

Full council meets at Halifax Town Hall on Wednesday, February 9, from 6pm.

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