IT could soon be "open season for development" on Bradford's green fields, a senior councillor has warned.

Bradford Council's failure to set aside enough land for housing could have dire consequences for the district's green belt and urban green areas, according to the leader of its Liberal Democrat group.

Councillor Jeanette Sunderland (Idle and Thackley) said developers are now turning to the Government, arguing that this lack of housing land justifies them building in areas the Council wants to keep green.

National rules dictate that local authorities should have a five-year supply of housing sites which developers can choose from.

But Bradford's current supply would only last for around two years.

More land will be set aside through the Council's Local Plan, a development blueprint which is being set up but is not expected to be in place until 2017.

Cllr Sunderland said in the meantime they could be looking at a "market free-for-all".

She said: "I don't blame developers for taking advantage of the situation that Bradford is in, I don't blame them at all.

"But I do blame the leadership of the Council for failing to get to grips with the Local Plan."

She said a test case from her ward was now in the hands of a Government planning inspector, and his decision could have huge implications for the whole district.

The case involves an outline plan for 70 homes on Idle Moor, which the Council refused earlier this year because the land is set aside as official urban greenspace.

But the developers, Mr Wood, Mr Shaw and MGL Homes, appealed this decision, with one of their central arguments being that the Council had failed to earmark enough land for housing.

The appeal was heard at Shipley Town Hall earlier this week, with the inspector's written decision due shortly.

Cllr Sunderland said she believed it was the first such case involving major urban greenspace, and if the planning inspector found in the developer's favour, other firms "will rush in" with housing plans for similar areas.

No-one from Bradford Council's planning department was available to comment yesterday.

But previously, Councillor Val Slater, Labour's executive member for planning, has stressed the need to get the Local Plan in place as soon as possible to avoid this kind of problem.

Last month, she said: "The way to protect the green belt is to have a Local Plan."

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