COUNCILLORS have called plans to sell off a community centre for it to be demolished and replaced with 131 homes a “final kick in the teeth” to local residents.

An application has been submitted to Bradford Council for the former Fagley Youth and Community Centre to be demolished, and homes built on the site and surrounding land.

The land has been protected for community use for a number of years, and is currently owned by Newlands Community Association.

In a Facebook post, Eccleshill Lib Dem councillors Geoff Reid and Brendan Stubbs said Newlands had “failed to protect the community centre”.

They said: “Not content with locking out local residents a few years ago, they failed to protect the Community Centre from vandals and in a final kick in the teeth they are now trying to sell off the land for housing.”

If approved, the plans, by Ossett-based firm Gleeson Regeneration, will see 131 houses built on the 3.71 hectare site.

Cllr Reid said there has been a long fight to protect the centre. He said: “We fought alongside residents for years to protect the centre and the land it stands on for community use.

“Even the former Labour council leader Dave Green stepped in a few years ago promising not to remove the covenant protecting the site.

“We will be reminding Labour of their promise to protect this land for the community and the Lib Dem team look forward to working with them to defend it.”

Cllr Stubbs added: “We already have permission for 550 to 600 homes in the area.

“Now we should be defending land and community facilities that will serve the new and existing homes – not selling it off for more homes that will only increase the pressure on local roads, schools and other amenities”.

The application’s planning statement says the proposals for 131 dwellings are in character with the role and function of the surrounding area of Fagley.

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Former councillor Ann Wallace has objected to the proposal, saying the area would need more school places, a dentist, shops and a GP practice to create a “sustainable community”, and also raised concerns that more than 1,000 trees planted on the site, including an orchard, may be lost.

Newlands Community Association declined to comment on the plans or councillors’ comments.

Public consultation is open until Friday, November 24. Visit the Council’s planning website or write to the Planning Service at Britannia House, Hall Ings, BD1 1HX, quoting 17/05678/MAF.