Plans for 230 homes on greenbelt land to go before planners next week

Calderdale Council’s planning committee are recommended by officers to approve Keyland Developments Ltd’s outline application to build the homes at land south west of Ellistones Lane, which is off Saddleworth Road, in Greetland.

A farmhouse and some other buildings will be demolished to enable the development, if planners eventually give it the go-ahead.

The councillors, who meet next Tuesday (Jul 28), from 3pm at Halifax Town Hall to consider the application, are told that as this one is outline it is only at this stage considering the general principle of development, access to the site and the issue of demolishing the existing buildings.

A second, detailed – “reserved matters” – application would then have to be submitted considering issues including layout and appearance.

Of 402 representations the public have made on the plans, 399 are recognised as objections, says the council, with many about highways issues.

One objector posted: “Saddleworth Road is more like the M62 at times.”

Another said: “The local community cannot handle hundreds of extra residents, nor can the roads in the surrounding areas, we have a duty to protect our green belt, especially with the area being home to deer and much more wildlife.”

But the developer says the site is well connected to local services, job opportunities and community places, with good active travel and public transport links.

If the plans are ultimately permitted following a later “reserved matters” application, the development is expected to create around £6.79 million a year of annual household expenditure in the local economy and bring in around £259,000 of additional Council Tax revenue per year to the council itself, according to the officers’ report.

Officers are recommending to councillors they approve the outline application subject to 38 planning conditions and a legal agreement the developer will have to sign.

This would ensure 20 per cent of the homes – around 46 – would be “affordable” and that up to £1 million will be available for public transport improvements including an enhanced bus service, improvements to bus stops, upgrades to traffic signals at West Vale, and £38,000 for footpath improvements to encourage walking and improve access.

In addition, the agreement covers wider community benefits, including local jobs and training opportunities, contributions towards open space and its long-term management, and a requirement for at least five per cent of homes to be self-build or custom-build plots, say planners.

Objectors say the local road network is already at or over capacity, so extra traffic from 230 homes would worsen congestion, harm highway safety and air quality, and they argue that limited and unreliable public transport will leave residents dependent on cars.

They also argue the scheme will overload already stretched public services including schools, although officers say there are surplus places at primary and secondary schools within travelling distance to cater for expected numbers of extra children.

On issues such as health, matters would need to be considered at the reserved matters, full, application stage, say officers.

Other concerns raised include impact on habitats and biodiversity and about flood risk and drainage.

Stainland and District Parish Council have objected to the application, citing the distance away from local services and highways issues, particularly the amount of extra traffic the new homes might generate, and how this might impact West Vale junction.

Addressing the principle of development, planning officers say because the council cannot demonstrate a five-year supply of housing land, national policy dictates permission to build should be granted unless there are strong reasons against it and disadvantages demonstrably outweigh the benefits.

Officers say in favour is that the site is earmarked for housing in Calderdale’s Local Plan and it is seen as an important contribution to meeting Calderdale’s housing needs.

As well as the affordable homes element they also cite the public transport improvements gained through the legal agreement as carrying weight.

“The scheme would introduce significant benefits to sustainable travel, including the funding for an additional bus to deliver a 30-minute direct day time service between Halifax and Elland on Mondays to Saturdays, as well as a 90-minute Sunday service.

“Improvements to the local footpath have also been secured,” say officers.

The scheme would also see areas of public green space created and retains pedestrian routes through it – moderate weighting is given to improving the environment for pedestrians, as well as works on Saddleworth Road, including a narrowing of the carriageway, a gateway feature, enhanced footways and informal pedestrian crossing points, say officers.

Considering adverse impacts, officers acknowledge that for local residents that adjoin the site, the development would alter their view but, they say, the right to a view is not a material planning consideration.

Impact on privacy of existing or future residents is something that would need to be considered at the later reserved matters stage, say officers.

Addressing the highways concerns, officers say they acknowledge the development will increase traffic movements in the area, and they particularly recognise particular concerns raised around the junction in West Vale.

But the impacts are not expected to be severe nor are they expected to have a significant impact on air quality and therefore can only be given limited weight, say officers, who recommend approval of this outline application.