Calderdale local plan: Plans to build major new housing development in Yorkshire with 3,000 new homes

Around 3,000 new homes could be built on land at Thornhills and Woodhouse, earmarked for new homes in Calderdale Council’s controversial Local Plan, which was adopted in the spring.

Potential sites in south and south east Calderdale have been particularly controversial as many of the authority’s potential development sites fall in those areas.

Now dubbed Woodhouse Garden Community, which is at Rastrick, and Thornhills Garden Community, at Brighouse, they are expected form a major part of delivering new homes the council says are badly needed.

For many years, Calderdale has not seen enough new homes built, an issue highlighted in regular comparisons with similar authorities in the north.

During hearings into the Local Plan, opponents of the proposed schemes voiced concerns about pressure in infrastructure, such as schools and health services, and possible health impacts such as air quality from increased traffic.

When Calderdale Council’s Cabinet meets at Halifax Town Hall on Monday, August 7, members will consider a more than 400-page “masterplanning” document for the sites, which will guide the planning process if ultimately adopted, and are asked to put it out to a four-week public consultation to allow people to have their say.

The mix of homes on each site will include between one and four bedrooms, affordable homes and adaptable and accessible features to support age- and disabled-friendly communities.

Each community will also benefit from a new primary school, large green and open spaces including parks, hedgerows and community growing areas, and cycle tracks and footways to encourage active travel, say the briefing papers.

Community facilities at Woodhouse will include a local grocery store, café and community hall, and at Thornhills there will be a farm shop and café, community hall and nursery, according to the plans.

Leader of the Council, Coun Jane Scullion (Lab, Luddenden Foot) said ahead of the meeting: “Ultimately the documents will help to create a real sense of place and somewhere that people of all ages and backgrounds can live a healthy, happy and successful life.”

With developers involved in the process, phased building could start as early as next year, with Woodhouse expected to be completed by 2034 and Thornhills by 2039, say the papers.