Proposals for Calderdale green belt to be refereed to Secretary of State

Calderdale Council’s Planning Committee, which meets at Halifax Town Hall next Tuesday, December 17 (from 2pm), is recommended by officers to be mindful to permit the plans for a Wainstalls farm.

Kemp Waste Management Ltd has applied to do the work, which will include forming an earth bund and plant trees to visually screen the site at Balkram Edge Farm, Balkram Edge, Wainstalls, above Halifax.

No objections have been received to the plans, for which proposed activities include using an old cow shed to bale plastic and cardboard, using a barn to store waste electrical and electronic equipment, storing grade A wood outside the old cow shed, classifying a new land area as an inert processing and storage area, and potential additional skip storage area.

Because the proposal is a significant departure from Calderdale’s development plan and involves inappropriate development of land allocated as green belt , it must be referred to the Secretary of State, councillors are told in their briefing papers.

The site would be used in conjunction with the existing waste transfer facility to the south of Balkram Edge Road, which already has permission via an agreement between the council and Mr P. Kemp, officers say.

Recommending councillors to be mindful to permit the plans, subject to some conditions, they argue that there would be no impact on the openness of the green belt, and tree planting, screening bunds and additional planting would provide long term mitigation for the visual impact of the activities carried out.

Subject to the Secretary of State not “calling in” the application for his determination, the proposal is acceptable, they say, with the decision to be made by councillors.