Former probation office to be turned into flats

The plans are for the three-storey mid-20th Century commercial building

A former Probation Service office in Halifax can be converted into 36 flats, councillors have agreed.

MRM Group (Halifax) Ltd intend to convert the building into 27 one-bedroom and nine two-bedroom flats - moving the access point from Gibbet Street to Gibraltar Road.

Calderdale Council's planning committee heard residents had opposed the proposal to change the site access, with 14 letters of objection, including an 18-name petition, received.

An objector told councillors the area was already congested and residents were worried about increases in traffic - but, after some debate, councillors agreed to support officers’ recommendation that the plans be approved.

'Improvement'

Residents' objections cited an increase in traffic, with congestion and accidents already said to be a problem, in an area with a school and homes nearby.

But Chloe Parmenter, an agent for the applicant, said the current access was not in a very safe spot and the new one would be an improvement.

A landscaping planning condition would compensate for a loss of trees, she said.

Ms Parmenter said the application retained the building in its entirety and was providing homes on a brownfield site, helping meet Calderdale’s housing needs.

The three-storey mid-20th Century commercial building was most recently occupied by the Yorkshire Probation Service, the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) said.

Follow BBC Yorkshire on Facebook, X (formerly known as Twitter) and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [e-mail]