FIRE chiefs have confirmed that a huge blaze which swept through former tramsheds in Bradford last Friday was started deliberately.

Residents were forced to flee their homes as more than 1,000 tyres went up in smoke on the site on Leeds Road, Thornbury, which is used by a number of local businesses, including the curry chain Akbar's, Zee Tyres, Jacks Tyres, a car sales firm, and a hand car wash.

Controversial plans for retrospective permission to use part of the yard as a tyre waste disposal business have now been withdrawn, but Bradford Council confirmed they are likely to be re-submitted once alterations to the proposals are made.

Residents campaigning against the planning application have hit back, saying they are "terrified" that the dumping of more tyres will lead to another major fire.

Gary Asquith, lead fire investigation officer for West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service, said yesterday: "With the information we currently have, the cause of the fire is believed to be deliberate.

"I am unable to comment on the storage of tyres or security of the site as I believe the Council are dealing with this."

The planning application had been submitted by Jacks Tyres, which works hand-in-hand with tyre-fitters Zee Tyres on the site.

The plans are now set to be amended to include a turning area and tyre baling machine not included in the original proposals.

A spokesman for Bradford Council said: "The application was withdrawn because there is a need to include part of the existing Zee tyres site in the application area and include a turning area for HGVs, and this was not within the application area submitted.

"We are expecting the application to be re-submitted but we do not have a date.

"We understand that the fire was not in the application area."

The developer acting for Jacks Tyres, the Baildon-based Fineline Architectural Design Ltd, failed to respond to a request for a comment, but earlier this week, Zee Hussain, from Zee Tyres, said the tyres caught up in the blaze had been fly-tipped in an area of the site used as a car park by Akbar's.

The company has previously denied being issued with an ultimatum by its landlord to clean up the tyres or face enforcement action, but office manager Naz Hanif was unavailable to comment yesterday.

Following a request for consultation on the original plans, Lisa Reardon, Bradford district crime prevention design advisor from West Yorkshire Police, suggested a number of actions to improve safety on the site, such as improved lighting and higher gates and perimeter fencing.

She added: "I understand there was a fire at the adjacent yard where tyres had been set alight. I feel it would be better to store the tyres and baled waste in a locked secured metal outbuilding to prevent any future arson attacks."

Joolz Denby, 60, who has lived on Rushton Terrace behind the site for 36 years, says residents want the land to be used to build a community centre.

"If this retrospective planning permission is given, it will legalise all the tyres that are on the site now, and will allow tonnes of tyres to be added," she said.

"We're terrified that another fire that is ten-fold the size could happen and destroy our homes.

"A tyre dump is a wholly inappropriate use of the land, and people are angry.

"We want to see Bradford Council stand up to its responsibilities."