A MAJOR plan to build hundreds of homes in Fagley won planners' approval today, much to the dismay of campaigners.

Local councillors said the decision had sealed the fate of one of the area's last patches of green space.

After the meeting, ward councillor Geoff Reid (Lib Dem, Eccleshill), who opposed the scheme, said: "We have made a huge contribution to housing in Eccleshill in recent years, so we have reached the point where the last significant green space goes.

"They clearly think the well-being of Eccleshill is low priority."

His colleague, Councillor Ann Wallace (Lib Dem, Eccleshill), who also spoke to object, said: "It's 'forgotten Fagley' again."

Under the outline proposals, up to 600 homes will be built on the Fagley Quarry site in Fagley Lane as well as undeveloped green fields nearby.

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The application is a joint project between the Marshalls and Bradford Council, which owns an area of the proposed development.

Yesterday, the Council's Regulatory and Appeals Committee heard the plans had threatened the future of Throstle Nest Riding School and its associated Riding for the Disabled group, but they had now secured a deal with the Marshall family in which they would be relocated if the scheme went ahead.

Planning agent Iain Bath urged the committee to approve the plans.

He said: "It is previously developed land, it is located within the urban area of Bradford in a highly sustainable location."

He added that the district had a serious lack of land set aside for housing, which this scheme would go a long way to address.

Mr Bath acknowledged the scheme had attracted "a significant level of local comment", but said if housing wasn't built there, it may well have to go "on greenfield and worse, Green Belt, sites".

Councillors Reid and Wallace both spoke to object to the scheme, as did Fagley Lane resident Karen Kaur, who raised concerns about the development's impact on nearby listed buildings, the highway network and local schools.

Mrs Kaur said: "What about school places? Bradford has a shortage of school places."

The meeting heard the developer was setting aside £1million for local infrastructure improvements.

This could either be put towards a planned £7 million upgrade of the congested junction of New Line and Harrogate Road at Greengates, or if it wasn't needed for this, towards local schools, councillors were told.

The committee voted to approve the scheme, with committee members Cllr Malcolm Sykes and Cllr Jackie Whiteley voting against.