Greetland: Controversial 230-home plans on greenbelt land given approval

The scheme on land south-west of Ellistones Lane was approved by the Planning Committee on Tuesday (Nov 10), paving the way for up to 230 homes, including 20 per cent affordable housing.

The development also includes a £1 million contribution towards improving the 343 bus service and traffic signal upgrades at West Vale which officers say will increase junction capacity by 13 per cent.

The greenfield site, which lies outside the green belt, was allocated for housing in Calderdale’s Local Plan approved under the previous Labour administration, including by current council leader Coun Dan Sutherland before his defection to Reform UK.

Residents and campaigners have repeatedly raised concerns over traffic congestion, flooding, and the loss of countryside, with more than 400 written objections.

The application was previously delayed twice following technical objections from the Greetland Pressure Group (GPG) relating to the transport modelling used by officers.

Planning Committee chairman Coun Stephen Mycroft was the only Reform councillor to support approval.

The motion was proposed by Coun Katie Kimber and seconded by Coun Chris Wadsworth.

Fellow Reform councillors Coun Paul Dale and Coun James Cook voted against the application, while Coun Chris Green, also Reform, abstained.

Keyland Developments Ltd, had warned it would seek legal costs if councillors rejected the scheme and it was subsequently called in by the Housing Secretary.

Coun Thomas Garnett, representing the Greetland ward, accused Keyland Developments of “bullying tactics” as he urged colleagues not to be intimidated by legal action.

Ahead of the vote, Coun Mycroft described the letter as “an attempt to scare this committee into approval” and told members to ignore it.

Among those opposing the development was Dave Paget, 45, who lives on Saddleworth Road opposite the site.

Speaking to the LDRS after the decision, Mr Paget said he would be unfollowing Reform UK on Facebook because he had expected the party to oppose the plans.

“Then to see what happened at the end. It was a Reform councillor that accepted it rather than refused it on the money side of things, in my opinion,” he said.

Of the councillors who voted to approve the scheme, Mr Paget added: “They are all as bad as each other.”

He said traffic on Saddleworth Road was already “diabolical” and raised concerns about pressure on local schools and healthcare services.

The LDRS has seen video footage shared by campaigners that shows extensive slow-moving traffic on the road.

Earlier in the meeting, another resident Lindsay Ashton said an Environmental Information Regulations request submitted by Mr Paget for data underpinning the traffic model had not produced the information campaigners were seeking.

“We are fighting this so hard because we sit in these queues day in and day out. We know the reality of the situation and want to be able to interrogate the data,” she told councillors.

Responding to concerns over the modelling, planning officer Richard Seaman said: “The TRANSYT model is widely used and accepted for this type of analysis.”

Another planning officer Kate Mansell acknowledged existing pressures on the road network, telling councillors: “Officers are not suggesting there would be no impact on West Vale.”

However, she said mitigation measures offered by the developer would be effective and would “neutralise” concerns.

“We remain of the view the development would not meet the test of ‘severe adverse impact’ on the transport network,” she added.

Deputy Planning Committee chairman Coun Paul Dale proposed refusing the application on the grounds there was “insufficient evidence” that the development would not have a severe effect on traffic.

But Coun Kimber said she believed there were limited grounds for refusal and questioned whether such a decision would withstand scrutiny if referred to the Housing Secretary.

Coun Wadsworth also warned there was “significant legal precedent” relating to planning decisions based on traffic concerns.

“We need to be confident as a committee that it meets the severe threshold,” he said.

“I cannot see a strong reason for us turning this down a third time at this committee.”

A 118-page officer report argued there was a strong need for additional housing in Calderdale, with the authority currently unable to demonstrate a five-year housing land supply.

The report states Calderdale has less than four years’ worth of deliverable housing land, “demonstrating a manifest shortfall against identified housing requirements”.

The decision comes just a week after council leader Coun Sutherland wrote to Housing Secretary Angela Rayner arguing Calderdale could remove almost half of its allocated housing sites from the Local Plan and still meet revised population projections.

Joe Boothman, Land and Development Manager at Keyland Developments Ltd, welcomed the committee’s decision.

“The committee resolution to approve the application has been the result of a great deal of technical work undertaken by the wider consultant team and working closely with Calderdale Council,” he said.

“It will bring about a scheme that not only assists the council with housing delivery, but will also include the provision of affordable housing, new blue and green infrastructure and public open space, as well as being a key generator of local jobs and investment throughout its lifetime.”