Flats by the Little Park
Sunday, 2 August 2015
I've heard that the development of a block of flats between the River, the Little Park, and the McCarthy & Stone building, have got their permission to go ahead. Still seems bonkers to me if it is right. Anything we can do at this stage?
From Pedro de Wit
Thursday, 13 August 2015
The planning application has indeed been approved even though it is a totally inappropiate plan that received lots of objections. I believe it eventually came down to one vote of someone who has never even been onsite and doesn't live in the area...
It is the third time that these plans went to the planning committee and the same objections that were raised the first time are still valid. I therefore think that the developer spent his time and money not on redesigning the apartments but found other ways to get the planning officers on his side.
I don't know what we can do to stop this inappropiate plan at this stage. The developer needs access over a private road and make a hole in someone's wall to get to the site so maybe there is an option to block access as I can't see how the law of easement applies to something which is in fact trespassing.
From Tim M
Thursday, 13 August 2015
It's only 8 flats, on a piece of derelict land! Which already had planning permission for houses.
PS I think the legality of the access is beyond scope of the planning process.
From Paul Murray
Thursday, 13 August 2015
I believe the residents put up the best fight we could, with sound argument.
We even had the Environment Agency on our side by agreeing that the partial domolition of our wall would breach the flood defences. It is suspicious that just 24 hours before the planning meeting the Environment Agency withdrew it's objection, but no explanation!
It is particularly galling, that the Committee vote actually went in our favour, but the Chair overrode this with his casting vote, simply on the basis, "I cannot expose the council to the potential cost of an appeal"!
With this sort of planning logic, I despair! Under the rules of planning, there is no statutory right of appeal for objectors.
Previous commentator is correct, right of access is not a matter of planning. Planning has been granted. That cannot now be overturned. To prevent the developer from tresspass would take an injunction, I'm given to understand a potentially very costly excercise, with no guarantee of long term success.
From Julie C
Friday, 14 August 2015
How about Waterside Fold residents clubbing together to provide themselves with a gate like the one across the gateway to McCarthy & Stone development? With a keypad you can become a gated street. In that way, excluding developers lorries etc. It might be a cheaper solution than legal battles just to keep them out.
From Jeff Mewse
Saturday, 15 August 2015
This planning decision is disgraceful.
It is again an invasion of the area by a developer with absolutely no conscience in what they are doing. Their designs do not match the area in height and also their plans do not show the other massive building they have just plonked into a central part of Hebden Bridge's skyline.
Can we please mobilise some sort of demo or protest against this please directed at Calderdale Council. I can help with this, no problem.
It is outrageous that it is next to a childrens playground as was their other behemouth development (later living multi story car park!)
I'm staggered that the Council have passed a block of flats overlooking/ encroaching onto a children's playground.
The safe-guarding issues this presents are very much to be considered. Has Calderdale Council taken leave of their senses or was the big fat brown envelope too much to refuse?
From Tim M
Saturday, 15 August 2015
Are we seriously alleging that the planning officers/ councillors were bribed here? Come off it! This scheme would certainly have been given the go-ahead under appeal, so personally, I think not risking tax payers' cash is justified.
Also, what are these safeguarding issues? It's a park in the middle of town! Agreed, I mightn't be keen on it if I lived on Waterside Fold, but otherwise this, and the neighbouring McCarthy & Stone seem positive, reasonably sustainable developments in the town - this one even has architecture that belongs in this century.
From Dave T
Sunday, 16 August 2015
So much furore over a private development, where were the protesters when McCarthy & Stone came to town? Sainsburys met with the full wrath of the 'not on my doorstep' brigade.
Why were McCarthy & Stone no greeted with the same warm welcome? They are, after all, a huge money making machine, and from what I gather they are not a pleasant organisation. Check out the Channel 4 Dispatches investigation into them! I can only assume it wasn't 'trendy' to object to them?
Typical mindset of some folk was summed up to me a while back when I overheard a chap walking with his wife past Calrec, and I quote "Oh, so that's where they are, I wondered where this place was. I meant to object to their planning application but suppose I'm too late now" I can only assume something has to be on trend to be objectionable to some people round here.
From Andy G
Thursday, 1 October 2015
It would appear that work has already commenced on this development and a friend living nearby, who does not have access to a computer, is very concerned that the bats living under the river bridge have not had the chance to be properly re-homed. She has asked me to find out whether anyone knows whether or not this is the case and, if the appropriate measures have not been taken, what can be done about it.
Can anyone help please?
From Andy M
Thursday, 1 October 2015
Hi Andy - you could try this Conservation and biodiversity page on the Calderdale website.
From Bob Deacon
Friday, 2 October 2015
For residents concerned about planning applications in the town such as these I suggest we go along to the AGM of the Calder Civic Trust on Wed. Oct. 14th at 7pm at Machpelah Mill, on the corner of Station Rd.
While the Civic Trust was very active in the past it is now seeking new committee members to help keep up the work of trying to preserve what is worth preserving in the town's conservation zone and make constructive comments on new developments.
I am not saying they would have spotted this important detail about preserving the bridge for bats but there would have been a greater chance if more residents knew that such a civic trust organisation was there actively doing this kind of work.
From David Thompson
Thursday, 8 October 2015
Some time ago I contacted the Calder Civic Trust about a planning issue. I believed that an area of Mytholmroyd had been unnecessarily blighted.
They couldn't offer any help or advice. I think they said they had no knowledge of Planning. I formed the impression, perhaps unfairly, that they were a small clique of dilettantes and that concern about fairly ordinary parts of Mytholmroyd was beneath them.
When I expressed an interest in joining the Trust, I was politely discouraged.
A good attendance at the Calder Civic Trust AGM sounds like an excellent idea to me.