A COUNCILLOR has accused a planning department of a “complete lack of ambition” for the city.

Cllr Howard Middleton (Lib Dem, Bolton and Undercliffe) said he was concerned that planners were settling for sub-standard schemes because “this is Bradford”.

He spoke out as the Bradford Area Planning Panel approved an application to extend a beauty parlour, in a traditional terrace building in Toller Lane, Bradford.

The application was recommended for refusal because a bay window would be lost, disrupting the symmetry with the building next door.

Ward councillor Imran Hussain (Lab, Toller), speaking in support of the application, said concern about the street scene was “utter nonsense”. He said: “For me, human beings matter far more than skylines.”

Panel member Cllr Imran Khan (Lab, Bowling and Barkerend) said: “Yes, it is an old building and it has got bay windows, but you have got to look at what is right for that particular community.”

But Cllr Middleton, sitting in as a panel member for a colleague, said: “There is almost a view sometimes in Bradford planning, that we know this isn’t very good but this is Bradford and that is all we can ever do.

“I think that is a complete lack of ambition.”