Detailed designs submitted for planned business park
Plans for a new business park in West Yorkshire have moved to the next stage of the planning process, with the submission of a reserved matters application.
The Clifton Business Park scheme is a major regeneration project which looks to transform a site on Wakefield Road at Clifton, near Brighouse, into a regionally significant employment site, creating hundreds of jobs.
In addition to the employment space, proposals for the site also include new walking and cycling routes and the developed areas would be balanced with landscaping, trees and plants.
The project received outline planning consent in late 2019 and a reserved matters planning application, which includes more detailed designs, has now been submitted.
Approved outline plans for the scheme explained the business park would feature 21 blocks of commercial units, creating 1,300 jobs.
It is expected a final decision will be made by Calderdale Council’s planning committee in spring 2021.
Calderdale Council is working with the West Yorkshire Combined Authority and Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (LEP) to progress the scheme and secure additional funding.
The Full Business Case, which includes detailed plans for the site and projected benefits, has now been submitted to the Combined Authority and is due to be considered for further approvals early next year.
Calderdale Council’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Strategy, Councillor Jane Scullion, said: “The submission of the planning application is the next step in proposals for a new business park between Brighouse and the M62 motorway.
“The creation of a regionally significant business space on this strategically located site has been a long-standing ambition for the council.
“Investing in the future of our local firms and attracting new businesses to the area is now more important than ever, as part of our economic recovery from COVID.
“Development of the Clifton Business Park and Enterprise Zone would create a substantial number of new jobs and create important new business and employment opportunities in Calderdale, as well as safeguarding existing positions.”
Roger Marsh, chairman of the Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and the NP11 group of Northern Local Enterprise Partnerships, said: “We have strong track record in supporting projects which deliver growth and jobs benefitting all our communities.
“We’re committed to leading the economic recovery from the impact of COVID-19 and schemes such as this will help pave a way forward for our region, alongside the work being undertaken by our West Yorkshire Economic Recovery Board.”
The proposed Clifton Business Park would be one of the Leeds City Region Enterprise Zones, supported by Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (LEP), West Yorkshire Combined Authority, Calderdale Council, and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.
The scheme will receive funding from the LEP, delivered in partnership with the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, through the Leeds City Region Growth Deal – a £1bn package of Government investment to accelerate growth across Leeds City Region.
