Bradford Telegraph and Argus: Bradford South West LDF

In the seventh of a series of 27 articles analysing the key study into the availability of land in Bradford, City Hall Reporter JO WINROW looks in depth at the possibilities for housing sites in Bradford South West.

A total of 4,500 new homes will be needed in the south west of Bradford, according to draft plans by Bradford Council as part of its Local Development Framework.

The district-wide blueprint details a broad approach to where 45,500 homes could be built across the district until 2028.

Land will be allocated further down the line to set out the locations where the homes that are needed could be built.

But first, a strategic assessment of available land in the south west area of the city identifies a total of 71 sites as having the potential for house building.

Out of these, planners believe 59 plots could be delivered within the 17-year time-frame of the assessment. At 32, more than half of these are classed as greenfield sites, and a further 22 are previously-developed land - or brownfield. Five of the sites are mixed.

In total, Council planners believe the 132 hectares of land could yield 4,282 homes, which is just short of the 4,500 target in the draft LDF. More than half of the sites are suitable for development now, while others are potentially suitable given policy constraints, such as being in the green belt. Two are potentially suitable, given physical constraints, such as needing access improvement or overcoming difficult ground conditions.

According to the document: "Bradford south west has a good mix of land types in the short term period to generate around 820 units. These comprise a combination of previously-developed sites and sites identified for housing in the replacement Unitary Development Plan which are still to be developed. A number of these sites are greenfield."

The document continues: "Some previously developed sites may also be suitable for residential development and could come forward in the short or medium term of the trajectory subject to local constraints being resolved."

A key site identified in Great Horton is Chesapeake packaging plant and warehouse and Field Sports and Social Club at Hollingwood Lane, Paradise Green. Part of the site is identified as employment land in the RUDP. From year seven onwards, planners believe 201 homes could fit on to the site, although its inclusion in the list is being reconsidered at review.

In addition, a former cricket ground, commercial buildings, and a retail unit at Northside Road, Lidget Green, could yield 275 homes. Planners believe the site is likely to become fully vacant in the near future but it would be suitable for a mixed development including some homes in the medium term.

Local councillor, Labour's John Godward, said he had no problems with vacant industrial sites in his ward being used for housing development, but said that businesses had gone from the area due to a lack of investment in infrastructure.

"As a result I would be concerned about a lack of work within the ward for the numbers of homes being suggested."

In Royds, sloping fields at Fenwick Drive, Woodside, were allocated for housing in the RUDP and planning permission is in place for 276 homes. As a result the green-field site could be built on in the short term, according to planners.

Abb Scott Lane, Low Moor, could provide the space for 177 homes on land that is already allocated for housing in the RUDP, however the site falls within the consultation zone of two hazardous installa-tions, requiring consultation with the health and safety executive.

In Clayton and Fairweather Green ward, greenbelt land at Langberries, Baldwin Lane, could yield 274 homes in the longer term, but the large site may require off-site infrastructure before it can come forward for development.

A site at Leaventhorpe Lane, Thornton, which consists of sloping fields behind existing houses, could see 226 homes being built, although access is narrow.

Local Conservative councillor Elaine Byrom said: "We've had a lot of building in Clayton over the past few years and I have concerns about the infrastructure supporting any more. There is already too much traffic on the roads and a lack of places at schools."

A number of other sites are identified throughout City, Little Horton, Wibsey and Queensbury wards, parts of which come within the Bradford south west boundaries.

THE LONG-TERM LAND STRATEGY

The Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA) is a technical document which will provide a pool of sites from which to select land to be allocated for housing when preparing the Local Development Framework.

The Framework is a blueprint that will manage development and growth across the district over the next 15 years.

Consultation on it's core strategy document, which sets out a long-term spatial vision for the district until 2028, is continuing. It sets out broad locations for development and policies that will influence the use of land and the type and scale of development permitted, as well as identifying key infrastructure requirements.

The overall Local Development Framework is expected to come into effect in 2013 with consultation over specific land allocations taking place during 2012.

Sites included in the current SHLAA may not make it into the land allocations documents and final framework. In addition further potential sites could be identified as the assessment is updated every year.