New home refused by Bradford Council to protect Wilsden's heritage (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

New home refused by Bradford Council to protect Wilsden's heritage

8:00am Tuesday 19th February 2013 in News

Parish councillor Tony Caunt on Club Row in Wilsden, where plans for a new home have been refused

Fears that Wilsden’s heritage is slowly being chipped away led to plans for a new home being blocked by Bradford Council.

Club Row is a grade II listed row of early 19th century terraced cottages in the Wilsden conservation area, protected because it provides a relatively untouched view of the village’s past.

Originally each cottage had a garden opposite it, but in recent years some of these gardens have been turned into parking spaces or built on.

Another application for one of the remaining gardens came before Bradford Council after Jenny Lightowler, of 18 Club Row, applied to build a house on her property’s garden. But councillors felt it was too big a change to the protected area.

Objector David McGowan addressed the committee, saying: “There has been a gradual destruction and disturbance of the conservation area’s gardens. They are an integral part of these houses. The heritage is being compromised on a daily basis.”

Council conservation officers had recommended the application be refused and at the latest meeting of the Keighley area planning committee, councillors agreed.

The application was refused because: “It would harm the setting of Club Row, a Grade II listed terrace of cottages and reduce its positive contribution towards the interest, quality and character of Wilsden Conservation Area. The proposal would bring about the development of open land which is important to the historical layout and spatial relationship between the terraced properties and their gardens and compromise important public views of the traditional listed properties.”

Wilsden Parish Council had supported the application and felt the house was a good enough design to enhance the area rather than spoil it.

Parish Councillor Tony Caunt said: “Personally I think it is a shame it was refused. When we looked at the plans we said it was a nice design, a lovely looking house. I feel we need to have infill housing like this in Wilsden.”