What is the Public Notice Portal?
The Public Notice Portal carries statutory public notices published in local newspapers and is the fastest and most effective way of finding out what is happening in YOUR neighbourhood.
Search the Public Notice Portal Residents objecting to plans to officially turn a former Halifax pub into a builders’ and plumber’s merchants said dust, debris and smoke from it badly affected their quality of life.
The former Horse and Jockey Inn at Warley Road has also more recently been a church.
But Calderdale Council planners agreed with objectors that the site being a builders’ and plumber’s merchants was a step too far and refused the plans permission.
Mr J. Hussain of U-Fix Building Supplies had applied to the council seeking retrospective permission to change the use of the former pub to service those building trades.
However, two members of the public, both near-neighbours, submitted comments on the application, both objecting.
One complained of “constant noise, fires of plastics and other substances and the constant pollution” and said “there has been numerous problems with this site since we have lived in this property.”
These include light-blocking, privacy and issues related to the length of time it opened each day with resulting disturbance.
It had been going on for six or seven years, they said.
The other objector said: “Since the site has been operating as a builders’ merchant, my family has experienced regular disturbance from heavy machinery, forklifts, delivery vehicles, reversing alarms, loading and the movement of building materials.
“The noise is not just occasional.”
Other issues included materials being burned there.
“I do not believe the applicant has shown that this use is suitable next to residential homes.
“I respectfully ask the council to refuse the application because of the ongoing harm to residential amenity, including noise, dust, debris, smoke, fumes and the loss of peaceful use of our home and garden,” they said.
The complaints about noise disturbance and dust generated on site gained support from the council’s environmental health team, who recommended the application be refused.
Planning officers agreed – they said “the noise and dust generated by the proposal is likely to disturb neighbouring residents, affect the ability of neighbouring residents of the aforementioned properties to enjoy and utilise outdoor amenity spaces and open windows to their properties.”
Even with tightly controlled opening hours, the impacts would not be acceptable, said the officers.
In heritage terms – there are listed buildings close by, and although not designated the pub building itself is a factor – the appearance of the development is considered to be visually harmful to the character and appearance of the immediate surrounding area, they said.
“It is considered that the harms to significance and architectural and historic interest of the former public house and the adjacent Grade II listed 539-541 Gibbet Street caused by the proposed development are not suitably outweighed by the benefits of the scheme, namely providing three full-time equivalent jobs on the site,” and accordingly, the application should be refused, said planning officers.
A supporting statement with the application had said the premises comprise a main building for the retail side of the business and part storage use, as well as outdoor areas for storage of materials.
According to the statement, historically the site was operated as a public house dating back to at least the 1980s.
In 2019 retrospective planning permission was granted for a change of use of the building to a church.
But it was little used and then fell out of use and since September 2020 it has been a builders’ merchants, with a subsequent application for retrospective
permission for change of use withdrawn in September 2022, according to the documents.
A further planning application was then submitted in June 2025 which also included for the retention of a storage shed that had been constructed to the rear of the site.
However, that application was refused permission for reasons relating to the use as a church, and the appearance of the storage shed.
The supporting statement argued the latter issue has been resolved as it has now been demolished, giving space for materials to be kept in dedicated areas as shown in plans submitted with the application.
The applicant argued the building no longer has a community function – the pub closed due to falling customer numbers which made its operation unviable, and the church use also had insufficient interest, closing in September 2020.