Town hall approval for new homes bid
COUNCILLORS have given the green light to a controversial plan for 267 homes to be built at Rastrick.
Calderdale Council’s planning committee approved plans for a 10.4 hectare plot at New Hey Road, Delf Hill, Shannon Road and Mount Lane on a split vote.
Clr Colin Hutchinson criticised the scheme’s uniform design, despite some compromise upgrades resulting from a meeting between the developers and council officers after the application was deferred in November.
He said he did not believe the project would produce a strong sense of space and result in the sort of environment where families, many with young children, could interact.
But his bid to reject the plan was unsuccessful.
Lead planning officer Richard Seaman told councillors the application met the council’s and national planning guidelines, and defending an appeal against the refusal that was likely to follow would be very difficult.
Evidence to back up refusal would be tested through cross-examination by a barrister at public inquiry presided over by a planning inspector, he said.
“In that context any reasons for refusal have to be absolutely explicit and precise, and capable of being evidenced.
“My advice to members would be that if the application went to appeal we would have very, very significant difficulties defending a refusal and in the circumstances the council would be at risk of a cost award,” he said.
Refusal would have to show concerns outweighed the benefit of a large number of new homes which Calderdale needed and was behind in building.
Agents for the applicants said the plans provided a significant number of high quality housing with a mix of affordable homes, making a significant contribution to Calderdale’s housing supply position, one saying: “Housing need is real and immediate.”
A proposal from committee chair Clr Steve Sweeney to permit the plans was approved. “I can understand a lot of the arguments in terms of what we would like to see about quality housing,” he said, but questioned whether that could be viably done while this scheme provided a lot of affordable housing.
“Houses are desperately needed in Calderdale,” said Clr Sweeney.
Nick Midgley, of Rastrick Neighbourhood Forum, told the committee he feared the driving force behind the recommendation to approve was Calderdale being behind target for housebuilding. He outlined concerns over the design and infrastructure matters – including the pressure a large number of new homes would put on highways and road junctions. He also said he believed compensating for the loss of biodiversity land by financial support for a site five miles away at Norland was unsatisfactory.