Neighbourhood Plan consultations now online
From Anthony Rae
Friday, 13 May 2016
As the process to prepare a neighbourhood plan for Hebden Royd (Hebden Bridge, Mytholmroyd and Cragg Vale) and the surrounding hilltop parishes (Heptonstall, Blackshaw, Erringden and Wadsworth) reaches a midpoint there are a number of important opportunities now for members of the public to have their say about what the Plan should include. Four online questionnaires are available at www.hebdenhilltopplan.co.uk until the end of May:
- Have your say about what uses you would like to see on the Valley Road site, Hebden Bridge (including the Marketplace car park and the old fire station site) and how this should link to the rest of the town here.
- How would you like to see Mytholmroyd regenerated and improved in the future? Does it need a new centre to overcome the separation caused by the A646? Have your say now.
- What are the 'key sites' where you would like to see development encouraged across the Neighbourhood Plan area? See the sites being proposed in the Key Sites questionnaire, say whether you agree or disagree, and suggest your own.
- A final questionnaire proposes a number of key themes which will shape the overall direction of the plan. Once these are agreed the next major consultation will set out detailed policies including how this large area, which includes a significant part of the Upper Calder catchment, can best respond to flooding.
All four consultation surveys are available here until the end of May. Any questions about the consultations can be sent to by email. The remaining drop-in consultation events will be at Blackshawhead Chapel on Saturday 14th May 1pm-4pm and Wadsworth Community Centre on Saturday 21st May: 11am-2pm
From Bob Deacon
Monday, 16 May 2016
The opportunity to express an opinion about the future of the Valley Road site is very welcome. The Hebdeb Bridge Partnership (HBP) which is an umbrella organisation representing nearly 50 community organisations in the town considered this at its last meeting in May.
It decided it would prefer to see a development that encompassed at least the existing car park and the fire station site.
It would prefer to see a development which moved the car park towards the fire station end leaving a public square opposite the town hall. Buildings on the first and subsequent floors on the fire station site (over the car park) and part of the existing car park site could be for housing or other uses that the town felt it needed. The concept of these buildings surrounding three sides of a first floor public courtyard above the car park facing the new square was suggested.
The HBP is currently discussing this idea with CMBC and the fire station site owners who may however instead wish to develop just their own site probably mainly for housing leaving CMBC responsible for continuing the existing cark. (They have abandoned plans for the Sainsbury option having lost all the appeal processes and Sainsbury have lost interest)
Whatever ideas emerge in the Valley Road consultation will need to find a developer who can see commercial benefit from such development. Local developers and town philanthropists might like to give this thought before any planning proposal becomes concrete.
The conclusiond of this very important Valley Road consultation which ends on May 31st will need to be taken account of in the ongoing discussions between the HBP, CMBC and the fire station site owners and of course Hebden Royd Town Council. I urge all residents to respond to it.
After the next HBP meeting in early June we hope to provide an update of progress.
Bob Deacon. Chair HBP.