A LOCAL historian has labelled a housebuilding scheme planned for historic farmland the "final destruction of where we live".

A six-day planning inquiry started at City Hall yesterday, with a Government planning inspector being brought in to decide whether Bradford Council did the right thing by refusing plans to build more than 200 homes on urban green space in Thackley.

Developer Persimmon Homes lodged an appeal after a planning committee refused permission for the scheme at Cote Farm, off Leeds Road.

Yesterday, objectors staged a demonstration against the housebuilding scheme outside City Hall, and the inquiry had to change rooms not once but twice to accommodate the number of residents who had turned up to watch.

Local historian Eileen White was one of those who gave evidence on the first day of the inquiry.

Dr White said: "Development is totally the wrong word. It is destruction of these fields. You can never replace these fields.

"We are witnessing the final destruction of where we live and where people have lived and enjoyed, just to put up some modern housing with no regard for what lies behind it.

"I think Cote Farm is a symbol of something we are fighting for."

The plans had originally been recommended for approval by Bradford Council's own planning officers.

But councillors on its planning committee had sided with objectors, raising concerns over traffic and highways safety, capacity in local schools, and the impact on urban green space, wildlife and local heritage.

Persimmon appealed this decision and Government planning inspector Clive Hughes will now consider both sides of the debate before making a final decision.

Mr Hughes said his inquiry would look at four main areas: whether the Council had a five-year supply of housing land and the implications of this, the effect of the houses on the visual amenity of the area, whether the scheme would preserve the setting of local heritage assets, and whether the benefits of the scheme would outweigh the harm.

The inquiry heard that Persimmon had first wanted to build up to 270 homes, but were now seeking outline permission to build fewer homes, up to 220 in total.

And it also heard that Bradford Council had decided not to defend its position on three key points - capacity in local schools, traffic and highways safety and concern over wildlife.

Eric Owen, solicitor for Bradford Council, said the developers had agreed to make an "appropriate" payment towards local schools, if the scheme were to go ahead.

He added that these discussions were being made without prejudice to the final decision, saying: "I repeat that, of course, for the benefit of the public so that they don't think I'm rolling over. I am not."

About highways, Mr Owen said: "This issue has been considered further by an external highway consultant and the Council has withdrawn this reason for refusal."

But the Council did call an expert witness to talk about the effect the development would have on Grade II listed Cote Farm and Little Cote Farm.

Heritage consultant Katy Lightbody said the fields, as well as their walls and hedges, were important in setting the context of the historic farmhouses.

She said: "In terms of its historic interest, it is essentially a reminder of the history of pastoral farming in this area."

Mr Owen said: "The proposed development will change the character of the appeal site from rural farmland to built development and harm the significance of the listed buildings, albeit the harm is less than substantial."

Persimmon's solicitor, Richard Sagar, said the development would provide "much-needed housing".

He said there should be a five-year housing land supply, but that the current supply fell short "by some considerable margin" and this wasn't due to be rectified for two and a half years.

He said: "The evidence will also show that the Council simply has no other solutions for bringing forward sufficient housing land in the interim and that the site makes a significant contribution, being a large site capable of accommodating considerably in excess of 200 dwellings."

Mr Sagar said there was "a pressing need for residential development land" and limited sites available.

He said: "This is a case where there are multiple benefits of an economic and social nature as well as of an environmental nature.

"The proposal will provide much-needed housing and most likely affordable housing, it will provide new infrastructure in the form of schools and off-site open space, it will provide a significant amount of on-site open space, providing accessible usable open space not just to the new residents but also the existing residents of the area with an additional network of public footpaths that connect up to the existing network and allow circular routes."

Ward councillor Dominic Fear (Lib Dem, Idle and Thackley) said despite Mr Owen's comments, concerns over traffic remained an important issue locally.

He said Leeds Road and the wider area became very busy at peak times, and urged the planning inspector to have a look for himself on the morning rush-hour, once the school term started again.

And he said that although the junction of New Line and Harrogate Road at Greengates was due to be upgraded, he feared this would not be enough to counteract an increase in traffic caused by the development.

Isobel Burgess, a member of the Cote Farm Action Group, added: "Cote Farm and Crooked Lane provide a really strong recreational purpose for local residents. It is used by a wide variety of people, including horse riders, cyclists, dog walkers and families out walking together, picking berries."

The inquiry continues.