Plans for Saxon village on hold

From the Telegraph & Argus, first published Wednesday 29th Jun 2005.

A £3 million scheme to turn Heckmondwike into a major visitor attraction has been put on hold after what the owners say is a "u-turn" by Kirklees planners.

Six months of work and £60,000 has gone into finalising plans to build an education centre and Saxon village at Ponderosa Rural Therapeutic Centre.

But owner Howard Cook has been left bemused by planners who say he must prove special circumstances to gain permission because part of the site is on the green belt.

"We've known about the green belt issues right from the start," said Mr Cook. "But we had a very positive meeting earlier this year with planners and asked if we were wasting our time - and were told `absolutely not'.

"I've been given planning permission for other things at Ponderosa that are in the green belt. I'm very disappointed because I feel as if we have been led up the garden path."

The plans include transforming a disused quarry at the entrance to the rare breeds farm into a Saxon village offering hands-on learning for schools and colleges with a farming-through-the-ages theme.

Mr Cook already has permission to build a business park on what was a scrapyard. But this adjoining land is not green belt. It would incorporate an education centre and house small businesses providing services for the Saxon village.

But the latest setback has meant Mr Cook now hopes to operate the 40,000 square foot unit on a industrial basis instead.

"I was asked by local councillors to create a dream for Heckmondwike and the consensus was if we could encourage more visitors to the town and bring more people in it would be better for businesses here," he said.

"This is where the Saxon village idea came from and we've done everything we were asked to do by the Council."

Senior development for partnerships and procurement services at the Council, Bill Hunter, said normally planning permission would not be granted for the green belt site and that Mr Cook must show special reasons.

"We always flagged up that there were major planning policy issues that Mr Cook would have to deal with and he would have to convince the planning committee that his proposals merit exceptions being made.

"There is a lot of potential and opportunities in this area and a lot of unused land. But we don't have enough information at the moment for us to be able to give clear advice. It is just a basic idea."

Councillor David Sheard said the Ponderosa plans seemed like a good idea and questioned the green belt designation of a quarry derelict for about 50 years.

Archive Home