Air quality concerns raised by campaigners
CAMPAIGNERS WORRIED about the impact thousands of new homes might have on the quality of the air they breathe questioned modelling used to assess it in Calderdale’s Local Plan.
Calderdale Council’s planning lead officer Richard Seaman said risks could be managed and mitigated.
Stuart Bennett, of WSP, for the council, said the authority struck balance between including important roads with requirement for practical and manageable study areas.
Where there were uncertainties local modelling would be modified to match data, he said.
But Coun Howard Blagbrough (Con, Brighouse) told the fourth series of hearings into the plan, which will shape where new homes might be built into the 2030s, that M62 traffic impact had not been given sufficient consideration.
“The M62 is closed two or three times a week due to accidents.
“This causes absolute mayhem from Ripponden to Brighouse.
Greetland resident Lyndsey Ashton said in West Vale around 700 new homes were planned and would result in around 3,000 extra cars.
On a route including a primary school, air quality would worsen and children would be breathing in air exceeding legal limits, she said.
Coun Steven Leigh (Con, Ryburn) said most of a potential 15,000 new homes which might be built were in the lower Calder Valley, introducing as many as 26,000 extra cars to an area already heavily polluted.
Coun Jacob Cook (Con, Greetland and Stainland) queried data predicting a decrease in vehicles in his area, saying it seemed “wildly inaccurate.”
Claire Holman, of Air Pollution Services, speaking for Clifton Village Neighbourhood Forum, said modelling took no account of terrain and position of buildings.
Clifton resident Jason Carlton said whichever way you looked at it, all routes carrying traffic in the area led back into an existing air quality zone – also close to busy neighbouring Bradford and Kirklees, but strategy did not appear to be joined together.
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