Councils need to consider long term budgets when building facilities - Yorkshire Post Letters

It is interesting that councillors have already approved the local plan in Brighouse last spring before residents are being asked their views (The Yorkshire Post, August 30, 2023).

I would have thought that Calderdale Council would have saved planning officers time and salaries by doing a feasibility study, scoping or fielding the views of residents in the areas being affected which are mainly in Thornhills and Woodhouse before agreeing the local plan for this area.

And to sell these two large 'affordable' housing schemes to residents, Calderdale council is offering a new primary school, community or village hall, a local grocery store and cafe and plenty of green open spaces including cycle tracks and footpaths.

How does the council know if these facilities will be used by sufficient residents in order to make them cost effective and viable businesses (shop and cafe)?

We see all too often that small shopping areas on large housing estates are permanently closed with security shutters, due to new shopping habits from the big four supermarkets’ expansion of convenience shops nearby, with one developing retail grocery shopping at petrol stations to entice workers to do their 'top up' shopping on their way home. Also the ever increasing demand for online grocery shopping.

Will there be sufficient funding in the council’s long term budgets to maintain these facilities, like the community hall and open spaces which will include play areas needing daily inspections for the safety of children?

Many councils are trying to get rid of leisure and culture assets by encouraging the formation of not for profit community trusts as they have insufficient funds to run and maintain them.

I am all for garden communities but councils need to support residents, who may not have had a garden before, by offering evening classes at local colleges on basic gardening techniques and doing practical sessions on a community allotment for growing fruit and vegetables incorporating a leisure garden for demonstrating how to cultivate flowers.