St Peter’s Parish Church – Amended Proposals

Planning Application 2019/93789
St Peter’s Parish Church – Amended Proposals
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The society reiterates its concerns submitted at the time of the initial application and strongly objects to the car parking proposals. Approval of this application is entirely inconsistent with the Blueprint vision for St Peter’s Gardens and now the SPD has been approved as a tool for implementation of the Blueprint’s objectives, this application fundamentally contradicts a key element of the document.

The artist’s impression shows no cars or vehicles, merely open space, broad pedestrian routes and restricted vehicle access. The claimed objective in approving the SPD was to avoid this kind of conflict or at least provide a rationale for refusal of inconsistent development.
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  • We strongly object with the concept of increasing car access and parking provision in this part of the town centre. We understand the aim of the Council is to limit access by car and certainly not to encourage it. There should certainly be no provision for parking within the town centre’s primary green space. The SPD (p.19 Vision, Item 3) refers to wanting the town centre to become ‘a quality environment with fewer vehicles’.
  • We note that in June 2020 Kirklees Council proposed the closure of Byram Street to vehicles. This alone should negate any request for new car parking to be accessed from Byram Street
  • We express disappointment that the supplied Heritage Assessment does not mention the proposed deterioration in the setting of the church by introducing a car park into the view of the church across its green space.
  • We note the comments from Kirklees Highways that state, there is currently a traffic regulation order (TRO) on this section of Byram Street that prevents all motor vehicles (except those authorised) from accessing at any time, except for loading between 4pm and 10am the next day. In this instance authorised vehicles would be the likes of recognisable service vehicles such as refuse wagons, emergency service vehicles, funeral cars etc. It is not a permit scheme where those associated with the church could apply for an exemption for their private motor vehicles. 
  • Declarations of climate emergency stand for nothing if subsequent planning decisions ignore them. There is an urgent need across all settlements to reallocate space dedicated to private vehicles, and specifically not to increase that space.
  • We disagree with several statements in the supporting document submitted by the former vicar of Huddersfield, Canon Simon Moor, including:

The Church, if to stay viable, is required to meet the standards of a twenty first century venue.’

‘The North side of the Church together with St Peter’s Gardens is currently a poor quality amenity, both visually and usage. It represents for many a ‘no go area. Parking would be part of the future vision’. The society asks, when was the provision of parking ever an effective means of improving an area of green space? It would certainly be amazed if a car parking area became what the Rev. Canon asserts would become the ‘place to be’.

That additional visitor attraction ’aspirations cannot be achieved without dedicated parking’.

That ‘Attendance at worship can only be achieved on Sundays with the use of cars’.

That the car parking area’s ‘hardstanding would also help preserve this grade 2 * listed building as the civic church of Huddersfield’.