Although not many of us may have heard of it, the contents of the Saltaire Environmental Capacity Study are very much to the point of everyone’s concerns about the Village’s future, writes Roger Clarke. The Atkins Heritage Group were commissioned by Bradford Council to investigate how far the Village is able to accommodate change in the future without losing its unique character and appeal.

They selected a number of “indicators” which, if monitored over time, would show if there is need to be anxious about Saltaire’s future. These included the impact of visitors on
residents and others who use the Village; traffic; parking; businesses; and the condition and use of buildings. [Most of us could come up with a similar list.] The innovative part of the Study was to build in “trigger points” which would be activated if critical pressures were reached. The authors have produced a measured, professional analysis which won a Royal Town Planning Institute Award last year. A disappointment is that although the surveys were carried out in 2005, the Saltaire Project Team is only this month to hear a formal presentation of the Study. After that, I hope to be able to tell you more about the inevitably dated content.