Residents unconvinced over prospect of 450 homes being built on Elland site

Residents and a retired Yorkshire Water district inspector are unconvinced by the prospect of 450 homes being built at an Elland site.
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In particular, they doubt the route from which the site would be accessed could cope with anticipated extra traffic or floodwater.

Planning Inspector Katie Child, chairing the second phase of hearings into Calderdale Council’s Local Plan, said developer Avant Homes had produced a draft masterplan for the homes, on two sites to the north and south of Exley Lane, Elland.

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She asked if the plans were feasible and Robert Rose, for Calderdale Council, said the proposed access from the lane to the sites was considered to be viable, with Nathan McLoughlin, representing Avant Homes, saying they could demonstrate the suitability of the access.

Homes plan in EllandHomes plan in Elland
Homes plan in Elland

But resident Helen Flockton said Exley Lane was a narrow, restricted highway: “I don’t see how you could possibly have access to it without massive disruption,” she said.

She also raised the issue of flood risk faced by this part of Elland.

“Flooding has particularly been historically bad and affects access to the area,” she said.

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Coun Steven Leigh (Con, Ryburn) said Exley Lane was a difficult route to navigate: “It is a very narrow, convoluted route. A lot of houses built in that area would produce immense congestion.”

Retired Yorkshire Water district inspector Derrick Longbottom said he was familiar with the site and ultimately any new drainage on the homes site would still have to feed into the same mains under the road.

“I have quite a lot of knowledge of the pipework and that main drainage collapsed a few years ago.

“The carriageway lifted all the tarmac. Consequently the main drainage system won’t be adequate for those houses,” he said.

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Mr McLoughlin said developers were aware of these issues and this had been reflected in a lower number of homes than originally suggested, technical issues being covered in a site report.

But Mr Longbottom said: “It doesn’t matter how many times you put in a new drainage system, there is only one lane and it is a hill and the water pressure is all going to be forced through that.”