Bid goes into build 19 new homes, more than 20 workspaces and new play area where Calderdale care home used to be

Calder Valley Community Land Trust has submitted proposals to build nine houses, ten cottage flats and the enterprise centre - which will provide various sized units of letting space – at the former Ferney Lee Older People’s Home.

The development, at Ferney Lee Road, could deliver more than 20 affordable rent workspaces in the enterprise unit, as well as the new homes.

The project has been made possible through work by Calder Valley Community Land Trust’s volunteers and is underpinned by a community asset transfer of the land from Calderdale Council, town deal funding secured by the Todmorden Town Deal Board from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and a development partnership with Connect Housing, says the trust.

It is a key project for Todmorden Town Deal - one of eight aimed at using £17.5 million of funding to benefit the town in various ways.

Parking space at the heart of the plot will serve both homes and centre, say supporting documents by GWP Architecture.

A play area, an informal village green and some growing space will also be incorporated with community space rather than private gardens the aim, say the papers.

The trust is working with Connect on other projects to deliver new homes for affordable rent in the upper Calder Valley.

It says of its partnership with the homes developer: “Connect Housing’s experience and resource capability for developing imaginative social housing in West Yorkshire will be a considerable assistance to the scheme’s successful realisation.

“This partnership has already led to a successful planning application for 20 affordable rented homes in Hebden Bridge.

“The need for one and two-bed homes was identified in Calderdale Council’s quarterly housing bulletin issued in March this year.

“Of the 10,000 people on the housing waiting list 74 per cent were looking or two-bed homes.

“We aim for the site to remain in community ownership in perpetuity.”

The application can be viewed in full on the planning portal on Calderdale Council’s website by searching 23/01286/FUL.