Bridleway brouhaha
WHAT an interesting story in the Examiner this week about the Berry Banks site in Holmfirth.
Residents may remember – or may like to know – that this saga goes back to 1994, when Younger Homes first applied to build a large estate on the Berry Banks site, which has been re-christened Bramble Bank by the developer.
This and further applications were opposed strongly by Holme Valley Parish Council, user groups, Holme Valley Civic Society, and various individuals.
Not because they were opposed to building on the site – they weren’t – but because the plans, as submitted, involved destroying part of the old bridleway (originally the main route into Holmfirth from Huddersfield) and replacing it in part with estate roads.
The general position of the objectors was: “Plan your estate around the ancient route, which is part of Holmfirth's heritage. Do not disturb it and you are welcome to build here.”
Subsequent applications ignored this, though steadily reducing the number of houses, as required by the planners.
Finally, planning permission was given, conditional on a legal diversion of the bridleway.
Surprise, surprise, several attempts to have the bridleway diverted – none of which took care of the needs of walkers and riders – were successfully opposed by the public.
So what happened?
Younger Homes did their own thing, shifted the bridleway to suit themselves, incidentally rendering it very vulnerable to landslip.
The council are to be commended for their firm enforcement action in making the developer reinstate the original route. A useful lesson, it is to be hoped, for others who might be tempted to flout planning and rights of way law.
It's a sorry tale of wasted time and money – but the warnings were there, from the start.
Liz Colquhoun
Honley.
