Concerns over mini-roundabout planned for housing scheme

Calderdale Council's Highways department had previously warned abut visibility at the proposed roundabout to access a planned 16-home development on land between Shelf Hall Lane and Halifax Road.

A decision has not yet been made on whether the outline scheme for part of the site, which used to house Clough Mills, can go ahead.

But now Highways officers have said that a revised layout only offers a small improvement in visibility for motorists.

Extending the footpath would improve “intervisibility” between the northern Shelf Hall Lane approach and the site access.

Layout showing plans for 16 homes on the former Clough Mills site in Shelf (Image: AEW Architects)

In a response from Highways as part of the consultation, it states that despite the changes “concerns remain about the visibility at this location”.

“Speeds on 20mph roads in Calderdale without speeds reduction measures are typically 27 to 30mph.

“Vehicle speeds of 20mph or even 25mph will be achievable on the southbound approach given that the splitter island and central island could be overrun.

"On the site access approach the visibility does not open up significantly at 4.5m or even a 2.4m set back. The required Stopping Sight Distance at 20mph is 25m which is not available at the site access approach.

“The concerns are exacerbated by the fact that the site arm would only serve 16 dwellings so would be very lightly trafficked. Therefore, southbound drivers will rarely need to give way.

"When the site was assessed as a potential housing allocation in the Local Plan it was on the basis that the full site would be served from a potential roundabout.”

land at the former Clough Mills site in Shelf (Image: AEW Architects)

It adds that when the requested speed surveys have been carried out a judgement can be made on the reduction that the roundabout would provide.

This would also inform the need for any traffic calming measures designed to reduce the speeds of vehicles on the approach, it adds.

The plans are for a section of the former Clough Mills site, with the whole site allocated for housing in the emerging Local Plan.

A target date for a decision on the plans by Joe Bottomley Ventures is now expected to be June, according to the Council’s planning website.

The historic mill was destroyed by fire in 2005, with Decosol Ltd, a business manufacturing car cleaning products, occupying most of the mill at the time.

Fire investigators found the blaze started accidentally on the first floor where chemicals were stored to make screenwash for cars.