BRADFORD Council will look to prioritise previously developed brownfield sites for at least half of the 42,100 new homes which are forecast to be built by 2030, a public inquiry has heard.

The authority's emerging Local Plan, which sets out roughly where the properties will be constructed across the district, is being scrutinised by Government planning inspector Stephen Pratt at the hearing at Victoria Hall, Saltaire.

A number of campaign groups, politicians, and developers are set to have their say on the plans before the inquiry ends on March 20.

One of the core policies within the plan, outlining how sites for housing development will be allocated, was discussed during yesterday's proceedings, with Council officials stating priority would be given to the re-use of "deliverable and developable" brownfield sites.

The next level of priority would be greenfield opportunities within current settlements, followed by the release of green belt land.

The final priority would be for larger sustainable urban extensions, such as the building of 1,000 houses or more.

The strategy states that at least 50 per cent of new housing is to be built on brownfield sites, with approximately 11,000 houses earmarked for green belt land.

A number of campaigners from outlying towns across the district spoke to seek assurances from the Council that the green belt would be protected wherever possible.

Tony Emmott, of the Ilkley Design Statement Group, said: "Can the Council say whether this policy will be plan-led, or developer-led?

"A site in Ilkley might well be seen as more viable than one in the centre of Bradford, but re-developing the old inner-city should be the main priority."

Helen Kidman, of Ilkley Civic Society, said: "Green belt releases of any sort should be the very last priority, in order to allow any brownfield sites to be used."

Keith Appleyard, of Addingham Civic Society, said it was "essential" that the 11,000 homes earmarked for the green belt did not become a higher figure, and Peter Ward, of Menston Parish Council, said clearer guidance was needed in the strategy to ensure potential brownfield sites were not ignored in favour of green belt sites which might be preferred by developers.

Andrew Wood, of the Yorkshire Greenspace Alliance, said: "Our colleagues from the house-building industry would have us believe the main aspect of the plan is building houses, but it is about sustainable development.

"It is entirely justified that the Council has a mechanism to direct developments to brownfield sites."

James Hall, of Persimmon Homes, said he was "concerned" about the level of priority given to previously developed land.

"I thought we'd moved away from brownfield first policies with the National Policy Planning Framework," he said.

"We're not saying brownfield development shouldn't take place, but there needs to be a range of sites to choose from."

Andrew Marshall, the Council's planning and transport strategy manager, said prioritising brownfield land would not be done at the expense of meeting housing targets.

"For the past ten years, there has been consistently high levels of building on previously-developed land," he said.

"The Government has asked Councils to consider this type of development, but we recognise we will have to have a range of sites to meet our housing needs."