Statement of Community Involvement – Calderdale

This Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) has been prepared by Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust (“CHFT” “the Trust”) and outlines the detailed programme of engagement the Trust has undertaken for its development proposals at Calderdale Royal Hospital (CRH), Salterhebble, Halifax HX3 0PW for a new clinical building and car park development.

The engagement exercise has been undertaken in advance of the submission of two separate planning applications to Calderdale Council for consideration and determination.

An outline planning application with all matters reserved (save for principle access) will be submitted for the proposed new clinical building and a full planning application will be submitted for the new car park development. The SCI accompanies both planning application submissions and responds to feedback for each of the development proposals for the new hospital building and car park.

This SCI identifies the comments made specifically in relation to each of the proposals and how these comments have been considered by the Trust in advance of the submission of the planning applications.

Background

Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust has plans to invest £196.5 million in local health services and parking and travel arrangements at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary (HRI) and Calderdale Royal Hospital (CRH).

The proposals include the construction of a new clinical building to accommodate an Emergency Department block and Ward block and car park development at CRH and a new A&E building and a wider programme of essential upgrades to clinical care facilities at HRI. This redevelopment of services would establish high-quality healthcare facilities across Calderdale and Huddersfield, delivering leading edge clinical services to improve patient safety and care.

The £196.5 million proposals are funded by the Department of Health and Social Care, and, pending the planning permission decision, it is hoped the work to build a new A&E at HRI could start this year, construction of the car park at CRH could commence in 2022, and construction of the hospital buildings at CRH commence in 2023 with all developments across both hospitals scheduled for completion by 2025.

Across both hospital sites, the proposed redevelopment has been informed by vital learnings from the Covid-19 pandemic. New healthcare facilities will be equipped with 4 the ability to section off areas of the building, helping to strengthen infection control and resilience in the event of future outbreaks.

These developments will improve service delivery, provide improved clinical facilities and patient safety, and will enable compliance with national recommendations for estate and clinical service delivery.

Scope of consultation

A programme of stakeholder engagement with key politicians, officers, civic and community groups has also taken place to either inform about the project or to continue existing dialogue. CHFT colleagues, many of whom live local to the hospital sites, have also been engaged throughout this process. This work will continue throughout the project.

A single comprehensive engagement programme has been undertaken by The Trust at the same time for both the development proposals at CRH and at HRI (for the proposed new A&E building and a wider programme of essential upgrades to clinical care facilities) to ensure that the public and stakeholders have able to consider the broader narrative and context for the proposals.

COVID-19 and the need for social distancing continues to impact pre-application processes, requiring applicants to pursue digital-first engagement campaigns. However, CHFT have made significant efforts to engage with the local community in a variety of ways, encouraging feedback via phone call, email, online survey and written responses. This has allowed us to reach beyond the traditional contributors to pre-application surveys.

Structure

This Statement is structured as follows:

• Section 2 - summarises the national and local planning policy requirements relating to public consultation;
• Section 3 - describes the proposals for the new hospital building and the car park
• Section 4- explains the scope and methods of engagement
• Section 5 - describes the engagement with the local community and stakeholders which was undertaken during the pre-application stage;
• Section 6 - identifies the main comments received during the consultation
• Section 7 - summarises the key themes and topics identified through the consultation and the Trust’s response to these comments and the approach taken by the Applicant to address these points; and
• Section 8 - concludes the report to summarise the outcome of the consultation process.

This section outlines the planning policy context relating to consultation at both a national and local level which CHFT has fully considered and complied with in guiding its engagement strategy programme.

Consideration of National Policy and Guidance is set out below along with identifying the advice in Calderdale Councils Statement of Community Involvement Guidance.

National Planning Policy and Guidance

The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) (February 2019) acknowledges that early engagement has significant potential to improve the planning application system for all parties involved, in terms of both efficiency and effectiveness.

The NPPF recognises that this approach can result in improved outcomes for the community (paragraph 39).

The Government makes clear that Local Planning Authorities (LPAs) have a key role to play in encouraging other parties to take advantage of the pre-application stage. Where they think it would be beneficial, applicants should be encouraged to engage with the local community before submitting their applications (paragraph 40).

Furthermore, statutory consultees are also encouraged to engage in early pre-application discussions by adopting a proactive approach and providing advice in a timely manner. In doing so, this will help the developer to avoid unnecessary delays and costs (paragraph 41).

Planning Practice Guidance (PPG) provides further information on the process and expectations on the consultation of planning applications. The Consultation and predecision matters guidance of the PPG focuses on the requirements and good practice of the Local Planning Authority rather than that of the applicant.

However, the PPG notes that the pre-application process is collaborative and involves the prospective applicant and other parties. This may include the LPA, statutory and non-statutory consultees, elected members and local people .

Paragraph ref. 010 Reference ID: 20-010-20150326 of PPG states that although pre-application engagement with the community is not mandatory, it is encouraged where it will add value to the process and outcome.

The Applicant has considered this guidance when structuring its consultation strategy, specifically by: 

• Informing the community of its emerging proposals;
• Enabling the community to put forward ideas and discuss opinions; and
• Ensuring consultation took place prior to the submission of the Planning Applications.

The Localism Act

The aim of the Act is to increase public participation in the decision-making process and has emphasis on the planning process. The Act under Chapter 4 61W states:

The person must publicise the proposed application in such manner as the person reasonably considers is likely to bring the proposed application to the attention of a majority of the persons who live at, or otherwise occupy, premises in the vicinity of the land.

It goes on to indicate in 61X (Duty to take account of responses to consultation) that the applicant must take in to consideration responses made during the community consultation process:

The person must, when deciding whether the application that the person is actually to make should be in the same terms as the proposed application, have regard to any responses to the consultation that the person has received.

Calderdale Council’s Statement of Community Involvement

This document outlines how stakeholders and the local community should be involved in the pre-application process. Section 8.12 ‘Consultations before planning applications’ mentions that ‘…applicants will be encouraged to undertake pre-application public consultation that is tailored to reflect the nature and scale of the proposed development’. It goes on to say ‘…failure by the applicant to consult could lead to objections being made which could affect and delay the processing of the application’.

As outlined in Table 3.2 on page 14 of the Council’s SCI, all major planning applications (defined as: sites providing 10 or more dwellings or residential applications over 0.5 ha; other development where floorspace is over 1000 sq.m. or where the site is over 1 ha; All mineral working or waste development applications) are statutory required to undertake the following consultation methods:

• local newspaper advertisement (Halifax Courier, Brighouse Echo, Hebden Bridge Times, as appropriate);
• Site notices to be displayed in at least one place on or near the application site for not less than 21 days; or
• Neighbour notification letters.

As outlined in Table 10 ‘Potential Methods of Community Involvement’ on page 9, the following options for public engagement were outlined:

• Local press, radio and TV
• Leaflets and brochures
• Public exhibitions/displays/stalls and road shows
• Formal written consultation/community surveys/questionnaires
• Letters to residents
• Hotline for those who do not have internet access
• One-to-one meetings with stakeholders
• Public meetings
• Focus groups
• Workshops
• Steering/advisory groups
• Pre-existing panels

Whilst it is not possible or practical during the COVID-19 pandemic to fulfil all of the options for public engagement above particularly on public meetings, we believe we have fulfilled as many requirements as possible and allowed local residents to contribute to the engagement in many ways.

Calderdale Royal Hospital – Development Proposals

New clinical building

The redevelopment scheme would deliver 30,000 sqm of new high-quality facilities at Calderdale Royal Hospital. This new healthcare building would include:

• A further ten inpatient wards
• Additional operating theatres
• A larger Intensive Care Unit (ICU)
• A paediatric emergency department

The proposed modern facilities will be constructed on the southern portion of the estate in place of the current southern car park. 3. People across Calderdale and Huddersfield would benefit from this significant opportunity, with enhanced services delivering improved patient outcomes.

New Car Park

To facilitate the expansion of service provision at CRH, the Trust has developed a Parking Strategy for the estate which includes a new car park development that will act as the primary location for future parking provision at CRH.

A net additional 400 no. car parking spaces are required post reconfiguration, as set out in the CRH Operation Parking Needs Assessment.

The MSCP development needs to re-provide 240 no. spaces lost through the development of the new clinical building.

This will take the existing total provision up to approximately 1,200 spaces across the hospital site. This figure has been derived through adopting a number of reduction measures such as the adoption of an Estate-wide Travel Plan which includes a number of sustainable travel measures to promote alternative sustainable modes and to support the reduction of trips by private car.

Pre-application engagement for both CRH and HRI draft plans

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, members of the public were invited to learn more about the project and provide their feedback via a digital consultation which ran from Monday 8th March – Monday 29th March 2021. However, feedback will continue to be accepted throughout the planning process to ensure all local residents and stakeholders can have their say.

To ensure that project information and the consultation is accessible to all, including those without access to the internet, residents living locally to the site received an information leaflet which included details on how to submit feedback via post, the website link and a phone number. The leaflet was posted to around 1,000 households (Appendix 2) in the vicinity of each hospital site on week commencing the 8th March 2021.

Additionally, a letter was sent to immediate neighbours of the site (Appendix 3) which included information about the plans and a phone number which they could ring to provide feedback and ask questions. The project team were made available to ring back residents who may have more detailed questions related to the draft plans. We received phone calls from residents and logged feedback. The feedback received via phone call and letter is included in this document’s analysis section.

Local press activity

A press release was sent to local and regional news outlets, announcing the proposed developments and outlining the engagement process. The release was distributed to Halifax Courier, Huddersfield Examiner, Yorkshire Post, Todmorden News, Brighouse Echo, Look North and Calendar. This release allowed the engagement to reach beyond the immediate neighbours of the site, as we appreciate the plans will impact the wider localities.

Coverage was received in several local and regional media outlets including both print and online.

Website portal 

The digital engagement was hosted via the project website at www.chftfutureplans.co.uk. Visitors to the site could find all of the information, which is normally displayed at a traditional consultation event, as well as an interactive map to clearly display information about the proposed development. The developments at CRH and HRI were displayed on separate pages with two feedback forms available to capture the views of local residents. There is also a page for Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about the project and an Accessibility Statement.

The website included an email address ‘hello@chftfutureplans.co.uk’ which residents could also submit wider feedback. We received 8 enquiries to this email address and have kept the address on the website for any further queries following the public involvement. The feedback received via phone call and email is listed as part of the analysis below.

Online coverage is available at the following weblinks:

• Multi-storey car park and new building planned at Calderdale Royal Hospital as part of £196.5m developments by Halifax Courier
• First pictures of new Huddersfield Royal Infirmary A&E revealed as part of £200m hospitals revamp by Examiner Live

Highlighting the public involvement with local businesses/community groups

During the pre-application public engagement, we were keen that immediate neighbours were made aware of and were able to engage with the process and feedback their views. These stakeholders included:

• All Saints' Church, Halifax
• All Saints School Halifax
• Full Circle Funerals Halifax
• Hebble Harlequins @ Spring Hall
• Ravenscliffe High School and Sports College
• Robertson Memorials
• Salterhebble Junior and Infant School
• Skircoat Green and Haigh Lane Allotments Association
• Skircoat Green Dental Practice
• Skircoat Green Retail – incl. Post Office etc
• Skircoat Library
• St Albans Catholic Church
• St Andrew's Methodist Church
• Stafford Hall School
• The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

We worked with the local authority to identify and agree a list of stakeholder neighbours who received an A5 leaflet highlighting the engagement process. Separate phone calls and emails were made during the public involvement period asking them to submit feedback, share with their employees/networks and to share on social media.

Responding to potential gaps in feedback

Both surveys included diversity monitoring questions. During the public involvement process we monitored feedback and took several actions to help target increased engagement from underrepresented groups including currently or recently pregnant people and young people. This activity included:

Public involvement shared with:

• Better Births at Calderdale and Huddersfield Facebook page.
• Yorkshire Fertility Facebook page.
• Information sent to local authority partners to share with local Sixth Forms and Colleges.
• Healthcare students from Huddersfield University via CHFT colleagues.
• CHFT’s BAME network for colleagues.
• CHFT’s Youth Forum – a representative from the Trust spoke with young patients and carers and others.

Next steps for stakeholder engagement

Following the conclusion of this pre-application public engagement, CHFT will continue to regularly update key stakeholder groups and others on the status of the planning applications.

Overview of wider survey feedback topics

The survey included a ‘further comments’ section which allowed contributors to submit broader feedback (66 surveys). We have split the major themes of that feedback below. It is important also to consider that many areas of feedback were covered within the set questions, so feedback below is largely additional:

Traffic and noise

• Increase in noise as the building becomes closer to Godfrey Road.
• Hoping that the new car park will reduce overspill parking on nearby roads.
• Concern about increased traffic on or past Dryclough Lane. 
• Try to minimise noise and disruption for local residents as much as possible.

Car park

• Keen that evidence base is provided for the new car park. 
• Ensure spaces in car park are wide enough and contain EV charging points. 
• Wider points on parking costs and affordability for NHS staff and visitors.
• Ensure that the car park is safe, secure and well-lit.

Clinical building

• Use noise absorbing materials in the building.
• Ensure clinical building is as far away from neighbouring properties as possible.
• Ensure building has significant natural light.
• Ensure building is futureproofed, so as to not require further extensions in the future.

Trees and planting 

• Protect existing trees as much as possible.
• Screen the new buildings/car park as much as possible.
• Outside areas with extensive planting, eg fruit trees.
• Buildings require good landscaping.

Feedback received from the website email, written and phone conversations 

In total we received 8 responses from people emailing ‘hello@chftfutureplans.co.uk’, writing to us or contacting the phone number on the leaflets or resident letters.

All feedback has been considered by the project team. The issues and feedback raised in these phone calls and emails include:

• Support for the proposals at Halifax, as parking has been an issue for local residents for many years.
• Requesting further information about whether nearby trees will be affected.
• Concern about building noises should plans go ahead.
• Requesting a print-out copy of the website information 
• Passed on feedback about the positioning of the proposed A&E at HRI and traffic along nearby roads.
• Suggestion that CHFT look at including a shuttlebus to reduce requirement for parking spaces on-site.
• Concern about the scale of proposed buildings and impact on nearby residences.

The project team has closely reviewed all feedback received during the engagement programme.

Each of the principle themes raised by responders to the consultation for the development proposals for the new hospital building and the car park and the Applicants response is set out below.

New clinical building

Car Park

CHFT and project team have carried out a detailed and extensive piece of engagement work with local residents and stakeholders.

The pre-application public involvement for this project has been impacted by COVID-19, but we believe the engagement work has allowed us to raise awareness of the draft plans and gain valuable feedback which we have responded to.

It has been important that such a significant overall project is consulted in the round with a narrative established over how each element of the planning applications affect each other and feed into the wider transformation project.

The engagement feedback including surveys, written letters, telephone conversations and emails have helped inform the development of the planning applications. Feedback indicated that parking is of major importance when people arrive at CRH and that any car park development should prioritise sustainability, be sympathetic to the locality and be of high quality. The proposed clinical building must be easily navigated, well laid out and with high quality facilities.

The consultation has both met and exceed the requirements laid out as part of the NPPF, the Localism Act and Calderdale Council’s Statement of Community Involvement. CHFT has also engaged during the pre-application process with planning and other technical officers at the Council to ensure a robust planning application was submitted.

The digital consultation was well publicised, with letters and leaflets being distributed to around 1,000 local households and businesses, as well as coverage in relevant local and regional media outlets.

Virtual meetings with local political and community stakeholders took place, providing an opportunity for members of the project team to introduce relevant stakeholders to the proposals and receive feedback. These meetings will continue to take place throughout the project.

A particular emphasis has been placed on engaging with seldom heard groups and those who are digitally excluded. We have made materials available in other languages, sent leaflets or letters to the nearest 1,000 households, printed and sent copies of materials to residents without internet access, discussed the plans on the telephone and via email and promoted the engagement at both hospital sites. During the engagement we analysed the equality monitoring and proactively targeted contact with groups who were underrepresented. 

It is clear from the feedback forms completed that the community is broadly supportive of the proposals. In particular respondents have advised that adequate car parking which was the most important issue for users when they arrive at the hospital 32 site. Respondents were also keen that hospital entrances are logically positioned and that pedestrian access routes are well-maintained.

Where respondents did raise concerns regarding technical issues, these are discussed and addressed in full through the detailed technical studies and planning reports submitted with this application. 

Further details of the scheme and the benefits are set out in the Planning Statement prepared by CBRE, the Design and Access Statements prepared by IBI for the new clinical building and Progressive for the new car park, and other supporting material submitted for each planning application.

In summary, it has been demonstrated that a robust and detailed public involvement and stakeholder engagement programme has been undertaken by the Trust in advance of the submission of the planning applications. CHFT will continue to keep the project website and the contact email address live during the post-submission period and update the website

The leaflet above says:

Proposed A&E building at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary

Share your views on the building proposals for Huddersfield Royal Infirmary

Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust wants to build a new state-of-the-art A&E building and improve the existing buildings at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary (HRI).

Overleaf is an artist’s impression of the A&E building and our image here shows where it will be located.

The HRI proposals will provide:

• A new A&E building
• Refurbished and improved wards and theatres
• New external cladding and fire safety improvements
• Sustainable Travel Plans

Before we apply for planning permission we want to hear your views. The proposals for HRI are only part of the future development planning/ We also have proposals for the development of Calderdale Royal Hospital and together they will reshape hospital healthcare into the future.

The proposal for both can be seen at www.chftfutureplans.co.uk

We can also provide this information in a range of languages, fonts and formats including easy read and braille. Please call 01134266948 and this will be provided.

Ways to have your say:

• Online: Visit www.chftfutureplans.co.uk to view the plans and leave your feedback
• By phone: If you are unable to access the internet and would like to respond, please call 01134266948
• By post: CHFT Future Plans, c/o Social, 2.23 Platform, New Station Street, Leeds, LS1 4JB

The leaflet above says:

Proposed hospital building and car park at Calderdale Royal Hospital

Share your views on the building proposals for Calderdale Royal Hospital

Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust wants to build a new state-of-the-art hospital building and car park Calderdale Royal Hospital (CRH).

Our images shows where the new buildings will be located.

The CRH proposals will provide:

• A new A&E building
• A paediatric emergency department 
• Extra wards, theatres and an enhanced intensive care unit
• A car park and Sustainable Travel Plans

Before we apply for planning permission we want to hear your views.

The proposals for CRH are only part of the future development planning. We also have proposals for the development of Huddersfield Royal Infirmary and together they will reshape hospital healthcare into the future.

The proposal for both can be seen at www.chftfutureplans.co.uk

We can also provide this information in a range of languages, fonts and formats including easy read and braille. Please call 01134266948 and this will be provided.

Ways to have your say:

• Online: Visit www.chftfutureplans.co.uk to view the plans and leave your feedback
• By phone: If you are unable to access the internet and would like to respond, please call 01134266948
• By post: CHFT Future Plans, c/o Social, 2.23 Platform, New Station Street, Leeds, LS1 4JB

The below letter was sent in the post to residents:

Dear Resident,

As you are a close neighbour of our hospitals, I am writing to share with you an update on our plans to improve services and buildings at Calderdale Royal Hospital (CRH) and at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary (HRI).

In one of the biggest investments in years, the Department of Health and Social Care has allocated us £196.5m to invest at our hospitals in Calderdale and Huddersfield and we are investing at both sites as summarised here:   

At CRH, we want to build a new state-of-the-art healthcare building to the south of the hospital, and car parking to support. Our plans for CRH include:

• A new A&E department and paediatric emergency department
• Additional inpatient wards, operating theatres and a larger intensive care unit
• Increased parking with electric charging points on offer

At HRI we want to build a new state-of-the-art A&E department and improve and upgrade the existing 1960s buildings. Our plans for HRI include:

• A new A&E department
• Refurbished and improved wards and theatres
• Replacing external cladding and fire safety improvements and a wider maintenance programme across the estate

Together, these developments represent a very significant and lasting investment in healthcare services at both hospitals for all our residents right across Calderdale, Huddersfield and the wider region.

You can find out more detail, artists impressions, maps and the opportunity to leave feedback about the plans at www.chftfutureplans.co.uk. In May we plan to apply for planning permission to both Kirklees and Calderdale Council so do please take a look at the website.

If you have any further queries and would like to talk about the plans with us then please contact Matt Joy on 07388376267 who will be happy to arrange a conversation with you. 

Yours sincerely,

Anna Basford

Director of Transformation, Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust

We can provide any information in a range of formats including easy read, translation in a range of languages and braille so please contact Matt to request an alternative version.