Agreeing planning use on the site of the former Thackley Grange care home in Bradford would secure best value for taxpayers, the councillor responsible for environment has said.

Councillor Andrew Thornton, executive member for environment and sport, was speaking after Councillor Jeanette Sunderland, the group leader of the Liberal Democrats on the Council, said that a bid to get planning permission for 22 homes on the site was “money grabbing”.

She said that 40 hours of discussions with ward councillors, officers and residents about how to best use the site of the former care home, which shut in 2011, had been ignored, including using the land to improve access to nearby schools and parking.

But Coun Thornton responded: “A planning application for the Thackley Grange site is being formulated but has not yet been submitted.

“Achieving an agreed planning use would add value to this site and secure best value for the Council taxpayer to support the Ellar Carr scheme.

“The expansion of Thackley Primary is under way and is not reliant on the Thackley Grange site.”