West Yorkshire > Calderdale
Calderdale is a unitary authority within the Leeds City Region and is in the process of preparing a single Local Plan for the district which will replace the existing Replacement Calderdale Unitary Development Plan (2006, amended 2009).
Halifax is the largest town, located to the east of the district, as are Brighouse and Elland . To the west, following valley bottoms within the South Pennine uplands are smaller urban centres including Todmorden and Hebden Bridge, historically stone built, and contrasting with the open moorlands and pasture of the uplands. The majority of the district is rural or rural fringe in character, dominated by the South Pennine hills. A large proportion of the countryside is designated as Special Landscape Area.
The uplands in Calderdale are a focus for initiatives to ‘slow the flow’ through tree planting, to reduce flooding within Leeds City Region and further downstream.
Calderdale does not have any landscape specialists, with landscape related work falling to the Spatial Planning Team.
Documents
Calderdale is covered by the Heritage Strategy for the South Pennines, adopted in 2001, which includes the South Pennines Landscape Character Assessment and South Pennines Landscape Guidelines (1999) for the Standing Conference of South Pennine Authorities (SCOSPA).
A further study examining landscape character is currently being undertaken to inform the Local Plan. This will also look at ‘Suitable Areas’ for wind energy development.
Landscape Character (2016) and capacity studies are here: https://www.calderdale.gov.uk/v2/residents/environment-planning-and-building/planning/planning-policy/evidence-base/environment
Also see Natural England profiles of National Character Areas 30, 38 and 39 with broad character descriptions, analysis of landscape change, statements of environmental opportunity and information on ecosystem services - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-character-area-profiles-data-for-local-decision-making/national-character-area-profiles
Landscape / Planning Contact
Planning Policy Officer mailto:spatial.planning@calderdale.gov.uk
