Housing plan for former mill site in Shelf is withdrawn

The scheme was for a section of the former Clough Mills site, but Calderdale Council’s Highways department had highlighted a lack of visibility at the proposed roundabout to access the development.

The application by Joe Bottomley Ventures for land between Shelf Hall Lane and Halifax Road, saw its mini-roundabout design being amended for the third time.

And following further feedback that the layout was still not acceptable, the application has now been withdrawn completely.

There are no details provided as to why the scheme has been withdrawn, but under planning rules, the developer can now resubmit a further application of a similar type for the same site within 12 months without needing to pay another fee.

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

The highways officer states: “There remain concerns with the mini-roundabout design, particularly in relation to the substandard forward visibility. The layout is therefore not acceptable.

“Colleagues in highway design have advised that a give way junction would be supported. The footway would need to be extended to meet with Beechwood Avenue which would introduce a continuous pedestrian link.

“A good sightline to the right on exit can be provided by widening the footway or introducing a verge across land within the site boundary.”

They also offered to provide contact details for the Council’s engineer so that the applicant’s highway engineer could discuss the design.

The plans themselves were for a section of the former mills site, with the whole site allocated for housing in the emerging local plan.

They were originally submitted to the Council in December 2022, and the target date had been pushed back as amendments were made, 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.

Part of the Clough Mills site in Shelf (Image: Google Street View)

It comes as plans to refurbish part of an existing industrial building on the wider former mill site have been approved.

E Bottomley and Son wants to split the stone-built building, just behind the Esso petrol filling station on Halifax Road, into three separate units.

A flat roofed extension to the south will be removed and steel roller shutter doors installed.