Why the number of sites for new homes has gone up
THE RESULT of latest developments over Calderdale’s Local Plan is that more sites for homes will be added to those already chosen – but not as many as there might have been.
In a nutshell, the council will be looking to provide space for 997 new homes each year for ten years – 9,970 in total – before re-assessing how many more might be needed over the remaining five years of the plan, to 2032-33.
Initially, the Local Plan was allowing for 870 new homes to be built in each of the full 15 years – a total of 12,600.
But when Planning Inspector Katie Child wrote to the council after the first phase of hearings into the plan with one major concern, that the authority’s planned economic growth did not square with the number of new homes needed to house some of the expected new workers, planning officers’ advice to councillors was that more space for housing had to be found if it is to be approved.
Ms Child is charged by the Government, which has ordered all councils produce a Local Plan, with approving or rejecting it.
If she does not approve it, Government will take the process out of the council’s hands and impose a plan on Calderdale.
The final document will shape where new homes and might be established in the years to come.
Calculations, which take in Calderdale’s close links with wider Leeds City Region and West Yorkshire Combined Authority economic goals, estimate more than 10,000 new jobs will be created over that period meaning the council would need to find space for 15,600 homes by 2032-33, or 1,040 a year for the 15 years, under the new preferred option.
The council’s Cabinet decision to choose an amended version of that option will reduce the number of new sites being added to the plan, particularly those in Calderdale’s green belt.
It has allowed for a higher density of development of sites already identified, squeezing more homes onto them to keep the number of extra new sites to a minimum.
Some sites which were identified for business use have been re-allocated as mixed use, meaning homes might be built there.
And by pausing at ten years to reassess more accurately how many more will be needed in the last five years of the plan more sites have been removed.
Some campaigners had asked for an option which would reduce economic expectations to be considered, arguing less jobs growth would mean less housing needed.
It is not yet quite the end of the road for its journey through the council political process.
Place Scrutiny Board will discuss Cabinet’s decision next Tuesday, November 5, following its “call in” by three councillors at the end of last week.
The merits of all options will be debated again with the board having the option of releasing Cabinet’s decision for implebusinesses mentation, referring it back to Cabinet for reconsideration or referring it on to full council for consideration.
Because of the call-in decision, the six weeks of consultation over sites added to the plan as a result of Cabinet’s preferred option will likely be delayed until that decision is clear.
Phase two of hearings into the Local Plan, which will include scrutiny of individual sites, will resume at the end of this year or early next year.
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OMISSION SITES
Brighouse: Land at 164 Huddersfield Road, and Toothill Lane, Rastrick (10); land off Brookfoot Lane (18).
Elland: Land off Blackley
Road, Blackley (80); land off Hammerstone Leach lane, Blackley (169).
Halifax: White House, Walt Road, Wheatley (42); White House, 12 Walt Royd, Wheatley (28); land adjacent to Moor
End Road and Clough Lane, Mixenden (52); and land at Ovenden Wood Road (114). Northowram and Shelf: Land adjacent to 44 Northowram Green (29); 18, Yarborough Croft (13); land at Score
Hill (20); and land at rear of Glenden, Halifax Road (27).
It is possible they may be considered again after the ten year “pause” depending on housing need over the next five years of the plan.