§ The M.P. For Keighley has stated that Keighley would welcome HML, and that there is land available close to the city centre and public transport, unlike the Gargrave Road site
§ It is easier and better for the environment, that fewer Skipton residents travel to Keighley than for many Keighley residents to travel to Skipton
HML Application, and how CRAG views the council’s treatment of HML
In the light of that’s been written above, why did 10 out of 11 councillors vote in favour of the application?
Simple.
The answer lies in paragraph 9.31 of the application which is here in its entirety:
“In relation to the implications of constraints on the growth of HML, the applicants state that they wish to remain in Skipton and do not want to use scare tactics about the alternatives for the company should this application be unsuccessful. They continue to state that the demands of the business and those of HML’s clients cannot be efficiently or effectively met in the current accommodation, nor can HML fulfil its corporate social responsibility commitments to its workforce in the current location. It confirms that the most likely alternative to relocating to the application site would be a significant relocation of activities from Skipton. Although the majority of the current head office and IT systems functions would be likely to remain in Skipton (approximately 250 employees) other parts of the organisation would be relocated to Glasgow or Londonderry, where, it is asserted, there are sites and premises capable of accommodating the scale of operations, there is an available labour force and there could be investment aid. This would result in the loss of 488 jobs in Skipton, which, the applicants claim, would cause other local enterprises to suffer. Although the figures provided by the applicants indicate that the local economy is currently strong, they claim that the cumulative potential ramifications of the relocation of HML out of Skipton could result in a shift in the local economy so that it may begin to show signs of fragility and that Skipton may further drift towards becoming a dormitory town for commuters and a destination for visitors.”
In other words, whilst not wishing to use ‘scare tactics’ they have used them, by stating that they might just move to Scotland or Ireland. Where of course they already have bases, as in Padiham, where car parking for employees appears to lead to severe problems around their base there.
And these ‘scare tactics’ have worked on our councillors, for every word spoken for the development concerned fear for the loss of 488 jobs, jobs which HML threatened to take to Scotland or Ireland.
It should be remembered that whilst money-lending and the colossal increase in personal debt are the hallmarks of present day society, hence the rapid growth of HML, this is a very transient happening, of only the last few years. Can it go on at this rate?
A study of Bank of England data by the money education charity Credit Action shows total personal debt stands at £1,278bn and the average owed by every UK adult is £27,180 - For how much longer can this go on?
HML is solely concerned with money and profit, its main occupation in Skipton is servicing bad debt via their call centre, the infamous ‘Carbuncle,’ and its track record in buildings has even merited a Royal rebuke! Now we are to entrust a special site to them, to their protection when building massive structures, (Pictures HERE) and to a soon to be disbanded council whose present building has lasted a mere 40 years.
CRAG had hoped that more than one councillor might have had an eye to the long term success of Skipton and Craven, rather than allowing one large company, a company whose main profession is bad debts and money lending, to threaten departure and thereby ride rough-
We hoped that Craven District Council would not take the pusillanimous path it has trodden in the past with Skipton Properties in not challenging their breaches of planning permission.
And we hoped that they would emulate Skipton town council when they refused permission for one single dwelling close to this site merely because of its proximity, and that the council would have said,
“Right is right, and wrong is wrong, however big, rich, or powerful the applicant is.
We were wrong to have those hopes.
