A LACK of housing land in Bradford means the Council should allow a green field on the outskirts of the city to be developed, a planning agent has argued.

Outline plans have been lodged to build around 14 homes on land west of Booth Holme Farm, on Westgate Hill Street, Tong.

While the land is not allocated for housing, the site’s planning agent says the application should be approved because Bradford Council does not have enough housing land set aside.

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

The process for setting aside more housing land in Bradford, the Local Plan, is under way but not set to finalise sites for some time.

The landowner, named only as Mr Inskip, is being represented by David Hill Chartered Surveyors.

A statement by David Hill, lodged with the application, says: “The Council accept that they cannot demonstrate a five year supply of housing.

“The proposed development is in a sustainable location with Birkenshaw to the south, motorway links 3km to the south, Bradford city centre and its rail links 5.5km to the north-west, Tong High School a 700m walk from the site and East Bierley Church of England First School a 800m walk from the site.

“There are also bus stops for traffic moving in both directions on West Hill Street [sic] within 100m of the site to both its east and west.”

It says the proposed development makes effective use of the land, by providing a density rate of 35 dwellings per hectare.

The Tong and Fulneck Valley Association has been protesting Bradford Council’s long-term plans to redraw the Green Belt boundary in the area and set aside a large part of the Tong Valley for development as part of the Local Plan.

The Rev Canon Gordon Dey, chairman of the association, gave a mixed reaction to the application.

He said: “Our view is that generally, we need to be sure that we are focused, initially, on developing brownfield sites and derelict land. These are the sites we need to be giving attention to.

“However, as far as this land is concerned, it is not in the Green Belt.

“The whole point of the Green Belt is designed to prevent coalescence between areas and we are mainly focused on the retention of the Green Belt.”

A decision is due by November 13.