Nearly 600 people have already commented on Calderdale Council’s options for a new Local Plan, during a six week public consultation which closes on Friday 18 December 2015.
The Local Plan consultation identified sites and land areas where new development might be permitted in order to meet current and predicted housing and employment needs. The final plan, which will be published next year, will also identify which areas should be protected over the next 15 years, as well as sites for new schools and community facilities.
Cllr Jenny Lynn, Calderdale Council’s Cabinet Member for Skills and the Environment said:
“We’ve had an excellent response to this initial public consultation and many important issues have been raised and discussed. It has been a very useful exercise which will help us during the next phase.
“We’re now using this feedback to identify the key issues which we’ll focus on during a series of workshops which we’re planning for our communities in the New Year.
“Our Local Plan must provide enough houses in the places where people want to live, whilst at the same time protecting our green spaces. These are important choices which we need to make and I’d ask everyone in the community to get involved.”
The government requires local councils to find enough land to meet its needs for new housing and economic development. The latest estimates are that Calderdale needs to identify land for over 12,000 new houses through to 2032.
The options document currently show potential sites for up to 36,000 homes so the Council will be working with communities to filter those sites down to the preferred sites required.
Further public consultation and a Public Inquiry will take place in 2016 with an Inspector reviewing the final plan.
To receive regular updates on the Local Plan and to comment on the proposals, register at http://calderdale.objective.co.uk/portal/planning_services/lp/lp(external link)
Although the interactive part of the map, which allows people to enter their comments about specific sites and policies, will end on 18 December 2015, the map will still be available to view online.
People are very welcome to continue to send in their comments either by email to spatial.planning@calderdale.gov.uk or by post to Spatial Planning Team, Westgate House, Westgate Halifax HX1 1PS.