Calderdale planning applications: Man's bid for new building for car restoration business at old Calderdale mill site refused

Mr Q Abdul had hoped his proposals for a new stone building for his car restoration business which would incorporate water turbines to produce some power would be favoured by Calderdale Council’s planning committee.

Although some councillors were impressed by the power proposals – and they were split on the decision – they agreed on committee chair Coun Colin Hutchinson’s (Lab, Skircoat) casting vote to go with planning officers’ recommendation to refuse planning permission for the Owler Mill, Bacup Road, Todmorden site.

And they all shared concern voiced by highways officers about the steep access onto Bacup Road, which is subject to the national speed limit.

They agreed the plans should be refused on the highways grounds but split on whether they should be refused on the setting grounds.

Planning officers said the proposal was inappropriate development for land around Todmorden, which has similar requirements to green belt, even though it was an old mill site, albeit not one for many years – since at least around the 1970s.

Mr Abdul runs a vintage car restoration business at the site and wanted to build the new premises – near the hamlet of Clough Foot – to house both repair workshop and three water power turbines.

The historical mill would have used water power back in the day, councillors heard.

But a near neighbour told councillors they were concerned about visual impact on the hamlet, which grew up in the 18th and 19th centuries, and very worried about how the turbine proposal might affect their water supply.

They said homes at the hamlet did not have access to mains water supply, relying on ground and spring water.

They were also concerned about noise from the turbines, although Mr Abdul said this would not be excessive and would be drowned out by the sound of the water.

Mr Abdul also claimed others’ water supply would not be affected.

Originally a water wheel on the site would have powered the mill that used to be there, he said.