S.O.S!
Save Our Scissett!
Scissett is a small ex-mining village on the slopes of the Pennine Hills, West Yorkshire, in the north of England. It has a population of some 1,600 and within a two mile radius has five neighbouring villages with similar populations, all separated by green fields. Scissett is somewhat unique for such a small village in that it has an indoor heated swimming baths, built originally for the miners from the numerous coal mines in the area.Plans were published on 21st January 1999 to develop the land behind the swimming baths in Scissett. This development stretches from behind the Pennine estate (from where Pilling Lane becomes a metalled road) all the way down to where the Kirklees Light Railway crosses Wakefield Road - some 35 acres in all. It will involve the construction of some 320 houses, a Safeway supermarket complete with car-parking, and a new swimming baths.
Our objections to this development centre round the impact all this will have on our community and the other surrounding villages:
- Can you imagine the impact on the traffic levels on Wakefield Road of an additional, say, 300+ commuters in the rush hours?
- Can you imagine the impact on the traffic levels on Wakefield Road of the additional shopping traffic?
- What do you think will be the impact on our local stores and shops in all the
surrounding villages of Clayton West, Emley, Skelmanthorpe, Denby Dale, and Shelley? How
many will survive?
- Research indicates that out-of-town supermarkets cause more job losses than they create.
- The introduction of 300 households, involving possibly in excess of 1000 people, in such a short timescale would effectively destroy the existing small village communities of Scissett and Clayton West.
- The loss of recreational facilities, i.e. the much-used public paths and bridleways over the fields, and natural visual impact.
- What happened to the Government's policy of making as much use as possible of "brown field" sites?
What's Happening?
A local committee has already been formed. A first public meeting was held on the evening of Monday 1st February and some 500 people attended - very vocally!
The same large crowd lobbied the Parish Councillors during their meeting in Skelmanthorpe the following evening. The Council deferred any decision pending further reports from Kirklees Officers, i.e. Retail, Education, Environment, Highways, Health Services Assessments.
To keep up to date with events, see the News page.
What Can You Do?
This Web site will be under continual revision as events unfold. Check back here often.
Until then, if you wish to become involved you can contact any of the people on the Contacts page.
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page was last updated on 19/07/99.