From Chris Barnett

Tuesday, 29 August 2017

Who was the letter from? This doesn't make much sense to me - could you give us a bit more detail please?

From Kez Armitage

Wednesday, 30 August 2017

All the information you really need to know about proposals for Calderdale are in the Draft Local Plan. The interactive map is a good starting point, as it lets you zoom in and out of the whole area, apply housing and other overlays, and click on these overlays for specific details of any proposal (eg number of houses, land area, a site report including any topographical, transport and other information)

And that's an important point. The housing sites are only proposals, and open to scrutiny and comment (which you can also do on the website). If you do have any concerns, now is the time to comment, and you have until 29th September to do so.  

From Chris Barnett

Wednesday, 30 August 2017

I'm aware that these sites are ones listed in the Local Plan, but I'm puzzled about the letter that Ruth refers to. I wasn't aware that Calderdale were writing to residents, and I certainly haven't received any letters regarding the Local Plan proposals.

From Ruth F

Wednesday, 30 August 2017

The letters are from Craig Whittakers office, on House of Commons paper, and there isn't really any more detail than that.

From Adrian Riley

Wednesday, 30 August 2017

It is worth bearing in mind that the Local Plan has to provide for a particular number of houses. If you manage to get a site deleted from this plan, then another site will have to be found to make up the numbers. You will not be able to reduce the numbers of houses that are planned for in each area.

There is also the Neighbourhood Plan for Hebden Royd and Hill Top Parishes, as well as Todmorden, which are running in parallel with this Local Plan. The Neighbourhood Plan cannot reduce the numbers of proposed houses but it can suggest different sites and also additional sites. There will be a public referendum on the NP before it can be implemented.

At the public meeting at the cricket club in Todmorden last Friday, chaired by Craig Whittaker MP, all these matters were discussed. 

Dr Smales who, along with IntegreatPlus, is co-opted onto the Todmorden Neighbourhood Plan sub-committee and is also assisting with the Hebden Royd and Hill Top Parishes NP, was asked if the numbers of houses could be increased from those on the Local Plan. 

His answer seemed to suggest no. But this quote from Gov.uk says additional sites (and numbers of housing presumably) can be increased - See this web page.

Quote: "Can a neighbourhood plan allocate additional or alternative sites to those in a Local Plan?

"A neighbourhood plan can allocate additional sites to those in a Local Plan where this is supported by evidence to demonstrate need above that identified in the Local Plan.

"A neighbourhood plan can propose allocating alternative sites to those in a Local Plan, but a qualifying body should discuss with the local planning authority why it considers the Local Plan allocations no longer appropriate. In rural areas, all settlements can play a role in delivering sustainable development." Unquote.

It is all very confusing but please remember that besides this "Local Plan" there is also the "Neighbourhood Plan" which will also impact on our lives. Keep an eye on its progress and whether its own selection of development sites differs from the Local Plan. 

Both the Local Plan and the Neighbourhood Plan are moving forward and will not stop just because we choose to take no notice of them.

From Dave R

Wednesday, 30 August 2017

I am amazed that people ignore the local plan until it impinged in 'their space/backyard'. There has been enough publicity about this compulsory building, and we do need new housing don't we? 

However, the issues I would ask are: is this going to be the right sort of housing? 

Is it low cost affordable housing for local people? Is it to be for rent, part buy? To meet the needs of our young local people. 

At least the Heptonstall build is proposed on council owned land so are there are no expensive land fees to pay out, thus allowing them some control over the build?

I suspect that opinions may be divided on what is the right sort of housing. For some it would need to be housing that didn't restrict their view; wasn't affecting their parking; certainly would not reduce the value of their own home and was preferably not in their village.

These houses are going to be built. If you don't like why I used make sure you gave your say but do try to be fair instead of NIMBY's won't you? 

From Anthony Rae

Friday, 1 September 2017

I’m involved in doing work on the Hebden Royd aspects of Calderdale Council’s Local Plan, and the Hebden Royd & Hilltop Parishes neighbourhood plan, which are both at important stages of their development. I’m on the NP committee (as a non-voting member), as is Lindsay Smales, the appointed consultant as Adrian Riley mentions; and thanks to him and Kez Armitage for their informed posts as to where these processes are up to and their role in relation to housing sites.

At two meetings this month (Hebden Royd town council 6th September; Neighbourhood Planning committee 18th September - both at 7.30pm, Town Hall) these bodies will be considering the overall approach to the allocation of new housing sites proposed in the Calderdale plan, prior to making formal responses to Calderdale Council by 29th September. Broadly they will be reviewing the adequacy of the proposed housing allocation for our area - the number of new houses to be provided up to 2032 (which is much smaller for the settlements in the Upper Calder Valley compared to those in eastern Calderdale, because of the constraints of topography, infrastructure capacity and flooding risk), and the suitability of individual sites in the context of the overall principle: ‘to support the provision of housing on brownfield sites in the sustainable locations of Hebden Bridge and Mytholmroyd, and not on Greenbelt/ greenfield sites elsewhere.’

Calderdale will then respond to all these consultation comments with possible revisions of their plan, before it goes out for a final consultation at the start of 2018. In other words, this August-September consultation is not the last opportunity people have to give their views on the Calderdale plan.

Then, in parallel with this, a draft of the Neighbourhood Plan - with its approach to housing provision specifically in our area - will be going out to consultation shortly (i.e at a date before the end of this year to be determined by the committee) and anyone will be able to comment on these more local and more detailed proposals. But both the September meetings are open to the public so you’re welcome to attend. 

From P Fincham

Friday, 1 September 2017

Mytholm Meadows bro wnfield site, off the main road into Hebden Bridge is allocated for business/industrial purposes SEE planning application no.16/01149/OUT. Maybe there is a case for challenging the designation, to allow housing instead. This would take pressure off other greenfield sites currently being proposed.

From Tim M

Wednesday, 6 September 2017

The Mytholm Meadows site had previous approval for housing, but a revised flood risk profile means it's no longer suitable.

All of the sites proposed will have an impact - some positive, some negative.

News housing should be welcomed, if it can be got right. For example, there are huge surpluses of school places in the town, which long term threatens the future of our rather special mix of small schools.

Also new housing in villages might improve viability of local services, busses, pubs, shops etc. This has to be balanced against the loss of open space, impact on landscape etc.

That the council has ownership of some of these sites could be very important - unless once included, they were sold to the highest bidder.

I wonder if say the Calder Valley Land Trust might have innovative ideas - their scheme for the High Street site looks good.

From Andy C

Monday, 11 September 2017

I managed to find, on Calderdale's virtually impenetrable web pages a section called Local Plan Initial Draft 2017 in which there are over 1000 comments from people, mainly in Shelf and Northowram, opposed to the new housing plans - for various reasons.

I've commented previously, whenever I've been invited to, on the plans in Mytholmroyd - but these no longer appear.

There are no comments on these pages regarding Hebden Bridge, Mytholmroyd, Todmorden or Luddendenfoot. It's possibly the wrong place or time for them - as I say Calderdales Planning pages are not user friendly.

What I can find about the plans for our area don't appear to have changed at all in the last 5 to 10 years or whatever it is now. ie, there are areas marked on maps that represent land that the owners are possibly prepared to relinquish if the need arose. And that's it, no more no less.

The last meeting I went to at the Town Hall (2 or 3 years ago) I voiced my concerns about the largest site and asked how access to and from would be accomplished - I was told a Highways/traffic review hadn't been done yet - but was assured as soon as it had been I would hear. I haven't heard anything since - so maybe I should stop worrying.

I have heard there's an open meeting at the Town Hall on Wednesday 20 September 5pm - 8pm but can find no mention of it online. Does anybody know if this is happening. It would be a good place to make your views known to the planners if, like me, you have concerns that you haven't been otherwise able to air.

Thanks

From Andy M

Monday, 11 September 2017

Google Calderdale Local Plan and you get this

Meeting dates etc at bottom of the page.