Artificial flowers make a colourful presence in Kirkgate

No. 44 Kirkgate has undergone a major change of use with the arrival of Artificial Flowers (pictured above) at what had been the Hair Design Centre since 1986.

The new business, which opened in July, is owned by Syed Umer, pictured above, and his wife, Isra, who is responsible for the striking shop-window designs. Mr Umer is well-known to motorists as manager for the last 11 years of the petrol station in Keighley Road, a job he will continue to do.

Artificial Flowers Keighley UK provides a physical presence for the family's online business, which started more than three years ago and supplies customers throughout Europe. The shop title includes the names of Mr and Mrs Umer's two daughters, Mishel and Meltem Umer, and son Muhammad Erdoan. The Hair Design Centre had been run at 44 Kirkgate by Annette Russell since 1986 and from 1992 until May 2022 by her daughter, Judith Russell (see my post of December 15th, 2013). Judith has moved to 86 Kirkgate, sharing premises with beauty and skin business Equilibrium (see my post of August 3rd, 2018), which with the hair salon reopened as Enhance in June. 

After extensive discussions, highways officials tell Persimmon to go back to the drawing board

A "more efficient" layout of the Wesley Place car park (pictured above) to replace lost parking spaces in congested Kirkgate (pictured below) was suggested in preliminary talks on the traffic impact of Persimmon's controversial plans to build 140 houses on the fields between Brown Bank Lane and Hawber Cote Lane. However, Britain's biggest house-builder subsequently dropped the proposal, which was designed to offset increased congestion arising from its new housing estate. In addition, Bradford council's highways development controllers have drawn attention to more than 20 examples where the proposed layout of the estate does not meet current standards or requirements. 

After extensive discussions with Persimmon (pre-tax profit £966.8 million last year), the council's engineers comment: "We would not be able to support this proposal as submitted in its current form and revised plans and/or additional information is required." Among disputed issues is Persimmon's calculations of the likely number of extra cars coming through Silsden. Another is a one-way route (preferred by the council) for cars and pedestrians from Hawber Cote Lane into the housing estate. Persimmon has downgraded it to a link just for pedestrians/cyclists.   

The present plan is for 140 homes at Brown Bank but Town Council says Persimmon 'intends to build 290' by 2030

Strongly objecting to plans by Persimmon, the UK's biggest house-builder, to put 140 homes on the fields between Brown Bank Lane (pictured above) and Hawber Cote Lane, Silsden Town Council points out that a transport assessment shows the company (pre-tax profit £966.8 million last year) "intends to build 290 by 2030."

Persimmon is asking Bradford council for permission to build 140 houses on the land edged in red on the map below. The company also controls the much larger area of adjoining farmland edged in blue. Silsden council refers to a "scoping study," one of seven transport assessments by Persimmon's experts, which indicates that those 140 homes would be completed by 2026 with a further 150 homes being built in the following four years on the larger, blue-edged area, some of which is pictured above (looking towards Brown Bank Lane).

The current scheme for 140 homes has caused immense controversy. At the last count, 621 people had had their say on Bradford council's online planning portal, where Persimmon's plans and supporting documents, plus other studies and criticisms, can be viewed. Opposition to the destruction of the tranquil area's hedges, trees, flora and fauna and footpaths, has been spearheaded by Silsden's Campaign for the Countryside, whose co-founder Caroline Whitaker, won an historic victory in the Bradford council elections on May 5th (see my following post).  

Green Party's countryside campaigner Caroline Whitaker captures Craven Ward seat from the Tories

The Green Party's Caroline Whitaker, pictured above, toppled the Tories to win a local seat at City Hall in the Bradford district council elections on May 5th. With 2,713 votes, Caroline had a majority of 213 over Tory Councillor Rebecca Whitaker, who was seeking re-election. Caroline, who lives in Silsden, is well-known as a community activist for Green causes. She also co-founded four years ago the Silsden Campaign for the Countryside, which opposes plans to build houses on the fields between Brown Bank Lane and Hawber Cote. The threats to Silsden from over-development were a major issue raised with Caroline by voters. Caroline is pictured, after her victory, in the fields she has pledged to defend. 

Houses or wildlife haven? Young campaigners' plea to protect our beautiful fieldsYoung campaigners for nature are highlighting the wildlife that finds a home in the Hawber Cote/Brown Bank fields which are currently under threat of development. Displaying five iconic birds, among many which are seen regularly here -- curlew, owl, song thrush, lapwing and blackbird -- the children all take an active role in the fight to save this stretch of popular countryside for future generations.

"It is vital that we protect our planet and that means keeping our beautiful fields," says 11-year-old Isla Barton, who has written to Bradford council, registering her objection to a plan by Persimmon Homes to  build a large housing estate on farmland between Brown Bank Lane and Hawber Cote Lane. Isla has also written to international campaigner Greta Thunberg.

Uproar over plans to reopen tranquil Horn Crag quarry

Outraged protesters are opposing plans to reopen Horn Crag quarry in Fishbeck Lane. Gail Hargreaves, pictured above, is spearheading the anti-quarry campaign, which has sparked more than 300 comments on Bradford council's online portal. Gail's property, Green Acres, is a paddock away from the quarry boundary, which can be seen in the photograph. She is pictured with one of her horses, Jack, who has spent most of his 26 years at the Green Acres smallholding, which includes stables and livery facilities.

Kathryn Dibb, pictured above on Johnny, a 14-year-old cob, fears for the future of her small livery yard in Fishbeck Lane if the quarry is allowed to reopen. Another worry shared by Fishbeck residents is what will happen to their domestic water supply, which comes from a spring at Horn Crag and also serves livestock troughs. Objectors say reopening Horn Crag will destroy a tranquil haven for wildlife, ruin high-value habitat for nesting birds, cause dust and noise and bring lorries on to entirely unsuitable lanes. A public footpath across the area proposed for quarrying will have to be diverted.  

Farmer David Gray, pictured above, whose premises in Brown Bank Lane are near the junction with Fishbeck Lane, says Brown Bank Lane is already a traffic "rat run" without the addition of quarry lorries going to and from Horn Crag. He is pictured on his tractor in Fishbeck Lane, which is narrow and potholed, as can be seen in the photograph below.

Up to10 lorries a day to and from the quarry will be routed along Fishbeck Lane and Brown Bank Lane. Outward loads will go down Brown Bank Lane and then turn right into Bolton Road towards Addingham. The arrangements are supposed to prevent quarry lorries travelling through Silsden town centre. 

Fishbeck Lane runs from the junction with Brown Bank Lane through to Bolton Road just below Cringles.   

The application to reopen the quarry, which is in the Green Belt, has been submitted to Bradford council by A. D. Calvert Architectural Stone Supplies Ltd. (Calverts), which is based at The Stoneyard, in Leyburn, North Yorkshire. The purpose is to "release a proven, locally distinctive building stone resource." The company, founded in 1993, designs and supplies bespoke architectural masonry and specialised stone products.

The quarry face is pictured above. Calverts' agent, the Mineral Planning Group Ltd. (MPG), which has prepared the application, says the proposals would release about 520,000 tonnes of high-quality masonry stone (also known as dimension stone), a traditional building product, over a 20-year period. An estimated 210,000 tonnes will be high-grade masonry stone with the rest suitable for walling or paving. It is anticipated that stone will be exported from Horn Crag at a rate of "only 400 tonnes (approximately) per week," totalling about 20,000 tonnes a year. MPG says it is highly likely there will be "peaks and troughs" in demand for the products. "Therefore the proposed end-date is the 22nd of February 2042 to allow the resource to be worked out in its entirety." The quarry will work from 7.30 am to 6pm Mondays to Fridays and 8 am to 1pm on Saturdays.

The quarry is not far from the Cringles Residential Caravan site, which is pictured above from Horn Crag. MPG says stone will be transported to Calverts' premises at Leyburn to be processed. Stone which is not of a high enough quality to be sold will be retained at Horn Crag to be used in restoration of the site." If the proposals are approved, an excavator will be used to bring stone away rom the quarry faces. No primary blasting will occur at the site, says MPG, which adds: "Occasional secondary blasting would only be used to split the rock to make it more manageable in size." No stone-cutting will be carried out on site.

Horn Crag covers about 5.9 hectares (14.6 acres); 3.9 hectares (9.7 acres) would be worked for minerals. MPG says the rock to be extracted is the Middleton Grit Unit, which was deposited in the Carboniferous period between 324 and 328 million years ago. Horn Crag was last worked in the 1980s. An application in 1986 was refused. Maps record quarrying at Horn Crag since at least 1853.

The view towards the reservoir and Silsden town from the track to the quarry face. Objections to the proposals have to be with Bradford council's planners by April 19th. The council is due to make its decision in June. 

Olé! New boutique adds a stylish sparkle to Kirkgate

Jo Munt, pictured above, has taken a fashionable new direction by opening her own boutique, called Olé, in Kirkgate. Jo, who has lived in Silsden for 30 years, is well-known as one of the managers of Swimstart at the Hothfield Street pool. Jo, who will continue her Swimstart role, said she had reached a stage in her life where she was ready to achieve something new.

The boutique at No. 82 Kirkgate was previously Carelli B, a fashion and accessories shop run by Beverley Ford. Jo opened Olé four weeks ago, on March 12th, and is pleased by the start the new business has made with customers ranging in age from 25 to 80. Jo and husband Andrew, a software manager, have been married for 29 years. The family holiday regularly in Spain and the boutique's name Olé comes from the initials of Jo and Andrew's three daughters, Olivia, Lizzy and Emily.  

Signs of the town's changing times