Done Deal
THE taxi firm at the centre of a planning row over a piece of land needed to build Heckmondwike's new library and information centre has signed an 11th hour deal with the council.
The land at Royle Fold has been at the centre of a three year wrangle between owners Eastern Taxis and councillors and traders, who are anxious to start work on the multi million pound project which includes a four stand bus terminus.
The situation came to a head last August, when Kirklees slapped a compulsory purchase order (CPO) on the site, despite months of lengthy negotiations with the firm.
It has not been revealed how much the land was sold for.
A public inquiry into the CPO was set to begin on Wednesday, but just days before, the taxi firm signed over the land, in a deal which will see the owners build new premises in Cemetery Road.
Rio Rossi, who has acted as a mediator between Eastern Taxis and the council, said the company now had until December to leave the site at Royle Fold.
A statement issued by the firm said: "There has been some confusion over the negotiation and all that we wanted to do was the best for our family and the best for the town. At the end of the day, we can see that this is the best way forward for everybody."
But the scheme is facing yet another hold up, as funding for the terminus set aside by bus giant Metro is now under threat.
A Metro spokesman said: "Like other West Yorkshire transport projects the Heckmondwike bus facility remains in Metro's forward programme but we will not know whether funding will be available until the outcomes of the government's comprehensive spending review are published in the autumn."
Former Heckmondwike councillor and chairman of the town's Chamber of Trade David Exley said: "It would be a shame if the bus facility was not completed at the same time as the library, but Metro said that if this did happen, they would prepare the site so it could be developed at a later date.
"At the moment we are pleased that we can at last move forward with this much-needed facility."
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Weather for Cleckheaton
Friday 10 February 2012
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