Developer in cash talks with Council (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Planners negotiate with Grattan builder over contribution to schools and housing

11:00am Saturday 6th October 2012 in News By Jo Winrow, City Hall Reporter

The developer behind plans for 400 homes on the old Freeman Grattan site in Bradford has been in negotiation with Bradford Council about how much it should contribute to education and affordable housing.

An outline application for the site at Ingleby Road and Northside Road site in Lidget Green was deferred last month after councillors became concerned about the level of contribution developers Freeman Grattan Holdings and Frankhill Ltd were offering.

Due to every school in the area being full, education experts asked for £1,633,584 towards education infrastructure, but only £500,000 was being offered.

In addition, while the quota for affordable housing in such a development is 15 per cent, the offer made was only five per cent.

And despite the Council asking for £250,472 for the provision of recreational open space and play fields, the developer did not offer any money, but instead planned for a community football pitch on the site.

Members of the Council’s regulatory and appeal committee decided last month to defer the application to allow time for further negotiations to take place. Members of the committee will be given an update at its next meeting on Wednesday, and a decision is expected to be made then.

A report to the committee said the proposal will allow Grattan to relocate to new premises on Vicar Lane, and with the retention of its existing warehouse on Thornton Lane, ensure that 600 jobs are retained within the Bradford district.

“This will clearly be beneficial to the district following the recent closure of premises such as Thomas Cook and the resultant loss of jobs,” it added.

An economic viability statement has been submitted with the plans in an effort to justify the reduction in the level of contributions, and as a result officers originally recommended that the scheme be passed.

Further details in the report suggest that a development of up to 400 homes on brownfield land would be a significant contributor to the annual house building target of 2,700 homes across the district.