Calderdale Council says it will quash controversial waste incinerator permit
Decision comes after judge granted permission for Judicial Review
Hello and welcome to The Calderdale Lead.
It’s always good to spread some good cheer at this time of year and in today’s edition we’ve got a story to warm the cockles.
Calderdale Council has announced it is effectively quashing the waste incinerator permit it granted for Calder Valley Skip Hire at its site in Sowerby Bridge.
The decision by the council comes after a judge gave permission for a judicial review. My colleague John Greenwood has more below.
Plus, we’ve got a couple of nuggets in our regular Calderdale Digest.
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So, onto today’s edition…
Calderdale Digest
🫣A lapdancing club which lost its key licence in the summer is applying for its renewal.
Calderdale licensing councillors refused to renew – this has to be done annually – the sex entertainment venue licence held by La Salsa at Silver Street, Halifax.
But the club has been able to remain open following an impasse over a legal appeal against that decision.
Councillors making their decision in June heard campaigners against the licence, which the club needs to operate, argue changes to the locality were a factor which might provide grounds for refusal, and these were given consideration when members made their decision.
The changes included opening of a new 122-home apartment block nearby.
Club owner Reza Shahsavar counter-argued by telling councillors the club had operated for 21 years at the premises without incident and Licensing Sub-committee members heard there were no objections to the licence being renewed by West Yorkshire Police.
Mr Shahsavar said he would appeal the council’s decision – this had to be done within 21 days at magistrates court – and he did so, setting in motion this new application, says Calderdale Council.
🚜The annual Christmas Eve Tractor Run is gearing up for it’s fifth year of bringing some festive fun and joy to the Calder Valley.
More than 100 tractors have signed up for the event, which is fundraising for Forget Me Not Childrens Hospice and Candlelighters Childrens Charity.
The route takes in Todmorden, Walsden, Hebden Bridge, Heptonstall, Mytholmroyd and more so there’s no excuse not for getting out on the route and watching it roll past!
For more information check out the Tractor Run Facebook page here.
‘Victory’ as Calderdale Council ‘quashes’ waste incinerator permit
By John Greenwood
A controversial environmental permit allowing a waste operator to operate an incinerator in Calderdale will effectively be quashed.
Calder Valley Skip Hire has planning permission to operate a small waste incineration plant (SWIP) at its Belmont, Sowerby Bridge, site – but also needs the environmental permit to do so.
Earlier this month Her Honour Judge Belcher, sitting as a Judge of the High Court, granted permission for a claimant to challenge Calderdale Council’s decision late last year to grant the key permit via a Judicial Review.
After consideration of the court’s decision, Calderdale Council now says it will discuss the terms of a consent order with the lead objector.
This will effectively quash, or cancel, the permit and means that a full judicial review will not be required, says the council.
A statement issued by the council says: “In June 2025 the Administrative Court refused permission for a judicial review into the council’s decision to grant a permit to Calder Valley Skip Hire (CVSH) for the operation of a small waste incinerator plant.
“After an appeal against the court’s refusal, permission for a judicial review was then given during a recent hearing at the High Court of Justice.
“The court ordered that there be further detailed analysis of the council’s decision at a hearing late next year.
“The council recognises the continued uncertainty this would bring; both for the objectors and for CVSH.
“After consideration of the court’s decision, the council will now discuss the terms of a consent order with the lead objector.
“This will effectively quash, or cancel, the permit and means that a full judicial review will not be required.”
The council says Calder Valley Skip Hire will be entitled to have the permit re-determined which will allow reconsideration of the application.
The claimant, Malcolm Powell, had successfully previously been given permission to take an initial environmental permit decision made at that time by the council’s Cabinet, which granted it, forward to Judicial Review, action resulting in the council effectively quashing that permit.
That triggered a public inquiry held in two phases in 2022 and 2023 when Calder Valley Skip Hire appealed what it deemed as the council’s non-determination of the company’s permit application.
At that inquiry, Planning Inspector John Woolcock, citing risk to health, which is a main concern of objectors, dismissed the company’s appeal after an inquiry – effectively refusing the permit.
As the law stands companies can lodge further applications, and this second application was granted, this time, by council officers, late last year.
Labour councillors for the Sowerby Bridge, Ryburn and Elland wards – the Cabinet also comprises Labour councillors and has been under fire from campaigners for not making the latest permit decision themselves – have “strongly welcomed” the council’s decision to quash the environmental permit.
Councillors Adam Wilkinson, who is a Cabinet member, Simon Ashton and Dot Foster (Sowerby Bridge), Leah Webster (Ryburn) and David Veitch (Elland) said the process “has exposed shortcomings in the council’s decision-making procedures.”
“We continue to believe the council’s constitution should be revised to ensure greater transparency when environmental permits are considered.
“Final decisions on such controversial matters should always rest with elected members and include a clear and meaningful role for ward councillors and the public.”
They said they were “hugely grateful” to community campaigners who have been resolute in opposing the incinerator plans over a decade.
“We have proudly worked alongside them for more than a decade and remain firmly committed to opposing any future applications,” said the ward councillors.
Campaigners including The Benbow Group backed Mr Powell’s call for the council to quash the permit following the Judge’s decision.
A complicated history has seen Calderdale Council refuse planning permission for the incinerator, and that decision being overturned on appeal to the planning inspectorate, following which the environmental permit cases have followed.
The incinerator has been opposed by campaigners and cross-party councillors and MPs.
That’s it for this edition, thanks for reading.
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Until Christmas Eve, have a great week…
Andrew