PLANS have been lodged to knock down an existing home in Clifton, then rebuild it one metre narrower, to allow a ten home development on fields behind to go ahead.

Local developer JB Henry and Sons already has planning permission in place to build ten four bedroom, detached houses on the land off Well Lane.

But it has emerged that while Well Lane would be need to be upgraded to be used as the access road to the larger development, it is not now considered wide enough.

Jack Henry, director of the Clifton-based firm, told the Telegraph & Argus that following discussions with Calderdale Council's planning department they had taken the decision to knock down 1 Meadow Court to allow the access lane to be widened.

He said: "We had thought the access would be wide enough, but highways want a footpath and strip of grass.

"We don't want to do it, but needs must."

He added that the firm already owns the property they propose demolishing which is built right up to the boundary with the lane.

It would not have worked to just lose the gable end of the property, he said. This way we can upgrade the 1970s property too, he added.

The development is also near the historic Black Horse Inn.

In a heritage statement submitted tot he Council as part of the application, it states that the proposed new home is 30 metres away from the listed building - a row of three cottages now providing hotel accommodation as part of the Inn.

"The dwelling is being demolished and reconstructed for two reasons: 1) to facilitate a wider access road to the approved housing development to the rear of Meadow Court and 2) to enable the property to be brought up to modern standards.

"The proposed repalcement property is virtually identical to the existing being of similar form and appearance but approximately 1m narrower than existing."

They believe it would be "highly unlikely" that these works could be considered to have an overly negative impact upon the setting of the listed building.

The original plans for the ten home development were approved in 2015 at outline stage, which includes the access. Reserved matters, such as appearance, landscaping, layout and scale, were agreed following a further application approved in December last year.

At the time of the original application, Calderdale's highways officers considered the scheme acceptable if Well Lane was "upgraded to adopted standards with a 5.5m wide carriageway and a single 1.8m wide footway".

Upgrading the junction with Towngate was also considered suitable to serve ten homes.

At the time local councillor Scott Benton (Con, Brighouse), stated that nearby residents had concerns given the prevalence of speeding on nearby Deep Lane.

He wrote to planners, stating: "A narrow entrance to the proposed development located just around the corner from a road where such problems are evidenced will create significant problems and increase risk of an accident occurring when vehicles enter and leave the proposed entrance to this development.”