A councillor has called for planners to make public the future of a green-field site in Steeton.

Cllr Eric Dawson, who represents the village on Bradford council, says he is becoming increasingly concerned at the delay in the planning brief for a proposed housing site in the Halsteads Way area.

He cannot understand why Bradford council planners appear to be dragging their feet.

"The Inspector's recommendation (over the council's Unitary Development Plan, its land-use blueprint) following his confirmation of the UDP was that a full planning brief be proposed and publicised for that site," says Cllr Dawson. "Where is the planning brief? Or have the planners something to hide?"

The inspector agreed with the council's plan that one hectare of land would be used for educational purposes. "Where will this land be and will it be for educational purposes?" asks Cllr Dawson. "It's time that Steeton residents were told what the planners had in mind for these green acres."

A spokesman for Bradford council's planning department responds: "The council agreed to draw up planning briefs for a number of sites across the district folllowing the UDP public enquiry and one of those which we are currently drafting is for Halsteads Way.

"In the UDP the site is allocated for housing with one hectare being reserved for educational purposes.

"The draft planning brief should be available for council consideration in the next couple of months.

"It will then be put out for public consultation before a final brief is approved by her members."

More planning, page 17

Council leader takes flak and Tory's choice Page 26

Low-cost

Conditional approval was given for 22 low-cost semi-detached houses at Mill Lane, Oakworth on the site of demolished industrial buildings. An objector says the development should ensure there is no route to the site from James Street and that a wall at the end of the street should be treated appropriately. Among 14 conditions was one involving the walling up of as James Street gateway within three months of the planning decision.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.