A developer has managed to get planning permission extended on a site next to the Leeds and Liverpool Canal. But one councillor said he doubted the development would seriously be built any time soon.

Developer Adore Lexicon Limited originally got permission in 2009 for 7,563 sq m of commercial floor space and up to 114 flats at Bankside, Dock Road, Shipley. But the permission was soon due to expire as work had not yet begun at the part-brownfield site. Yesterday, the regulatory and appeals committee agreed it could extend the permission for another five years, with the option of extending it for a further two. The meeting heard that it would be the last application of its type – to renew planning permission through a fast-track route – before new rules come in meaning developers have to start from scratch if they want to renew. Councillor Malcolm Sykes (pictured) said: “It’s a tactic this It’s not about realistically wanting to build something.”