Web Forum: Fight for Lindley moor

Feb 25 2010 by Andrew Jackson, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

MORE on the moor... that’s Lindley Moor.

markmyword: “Some jobs would be created I expect. Probably not the higher paying ones.

However, I do know that the Colne Valley is becoming just a dormitory area for people employed in Leeds and Manchester. Before the crash, estate agents pamphlets were singing the praises of the ease of the commute via the motorway or train.

“I’m also sure that other areas such as Shelley, Kirkburton, Denby Dale etc have become the same for Sheffield.

“Huddersfield as a commercial, industrial and retail centre is dying. Few if any ‘sunrise’ industries are prepared to locate into the area given the lack of infrastructure. There may well be a ‘pool’ of educated and technically well trained workers available at wages and salaries below that of the surrounding centres but without easy access to the road network it means next to nothing.

“If people want to ‘green’ Huddersfield and its environs perhaps the best way would be to ‘clean up’ the brownfield sites. The majority of them after all are in areas where ‘greening’ would be of benefit to more of the local community than Lindley Moor.”

TommyDGNR8: “Back when I lived in Lindley, I used to enjoy an occasional stroll out to the Wappy for a pint or five.

“To be honest, I’m not entirely sure what the lure was, but I’m fairly certain it had more to do with the beer than the scenery. The walk out would have benefited from something – anything – to look at. A handful of neglected fields – home to some of the saddest looking sheep and donkeys I’ve ever seen and hemmed in by housing of little or no architectural merit - didn’t really enthuse me the way it did (and does) the LMAG. (Funnily enough, I could never remember much about the walk back!)

“Surely any ‘glory’ Lindley Moor ever had was wiped away when they plonked a dirty great motorway across it?”

Otis: “I have always thought of the Colne Valley as the engine room of Huddersfield. Certainly it was when the textile, chemical and engineering industries were going strong.

“What a pity then that no one had the vision when the M62 was opened to root for a motorway link from Outlane down into Slawit, something like the spur that runs off to Bradford, M606.

“The old mills would have made good conversions to storage or distribution warehouses or smaller units for a variety of trades. The livelihoods and futures of many present and future residents would have been secured.”