Groups clash over future of new housing in local plan
DISAGREEMENTS between councillors over Calderdale’s draft Local Plan dominated debate over housing and other policies.
Leader of the Council, Coun Tim Swift (Lab, Town) said the proposed housing policy was about how the council made best use of existing resources, set out a case for more resources and outlined opportunities the Local Plan – which will indicate where thousands of new homes may be built into the 2030s – might bring to develop more sustainable housing and communities.
It was structured around four main themes, quality of place, quality of homes, quality of life and a recognition the council would only achieve these goals by working together with partners including Together Housing and other social housing providers, he said.
Opposing the strategy, Conservative group leader Coun Steven Leigh (Con, Ryburn) said the Local Plan was the nub of the issue – but said it would deliver problems not solutions.
“The strength of feeling against the Local Plan is palpable and the Conservative group have consistently opposed it in its current form.
“This housing strategy seeks to build more homes than is needed for the projected local population growth in Calderdale.
“Most of the homes will be built on green belt land, desecrating the countryside and less than a quarter built is affordable,” he told members of the full Calderdale Council, where a majority approved the strategy.
Developing brownfield sites should be a priority as well as bringing empty properties back into use and regenerating town centres by converting unused commercial units back into housing, said Coun Leigh. Coun Swift responded that the Conservatives had promised an alternative Local Plan in 2018 but one had not been seen and he said he still did not know what Coun Leigh’s group would do instead.
The current Government was wanting to build 300,000 new homes a year and Calderdale’s share would be more than what was proposed in the Local Plan, he said.
Brownfield sites a priority but many of them had issues, said Coun Swift.
Liberal Democrat group leader Coun James Baker (Warley) said a strategy was welcome because the council had performed poorly in building new homes, but he had concerns.
“I am not convinced there is enough detail in the action plan to deliver the aspirations and I think we will still be in the same position in a few years’ time,” he said.
Concerns about progress with the Local Plan, air quality and the quality of new developments, as well as some housing associations needing to improve existing ones, remained and meant his group would abstain on the vote.
Debate about the Local Plan also fed into debate about proposals to make Calderdale an Age Friendly Borough, which were also endorsed by a majority of councillors.
Councillors also endorsed Cabinet’s recommendation to approve equality objectives.