Bradford Telegraph and Argus: Baildon LDF

In the second of a series of 27 articles analysing the key study into the availability of land in Bradford, Aire Valley Chief Reporter MARC MENEAUD looks in depth at the possibilities for housing sites in Baildon.

Transport infrastructure in Baildon will be stretched "to breaking point" if draft plans for a major homes expansion are agreed, a councillor has warned.

Councillor Roger L'Amie said already-congested main roads such as Otley Road will struggle to cope with hundreds of extra vehicles should more than 500 homes be built in the area.

Bradford Council has also received planning permission for a six-acre hi-tech business park in Buck Lane, which is expected to create hundreds of jobs, adding to traffic congestion, said the Baildon Conservative Councillor.

He spoke out amid a public consul-tation on Bradford Council's Local Development Framework (LDF), which is set to shape the future of house-building in the district by 2028.

Under the draft proposals, 550 homes may be built in Baildon.

Coun L'Amie said: "There has been no major alterations to the road structure in Baildon since the village centre was torn up in the late 50s or early 60s.

"There has been continuous development in the area, certainly for the 33 years I have lived in Baildon, and I think the system has already reached saturation point.

"The draft LDF seems to talk about 550 houses, which could each have two cars. There is just not the road structure to justify building these houses. It will be stretched to breaking point."

Bradford Council has carried out an assessment of the housing land available across the district, which identifies areas available for possible housing schemes as the Council seeks to build 45,500 homes over the next 17 years.

In Baildon, one large scheme of 72 houses on the former West Lane Reservoir site is well underway after being granted planning permission in 2007.

However, the land assessment - known as the SHLAA - identifies nine others, including land near Tong Park and near the junction of Green Lane and Otley Road, at the southern end of Stubbings Road and on the site of the former Ferniehurst First School in Cliffe Lane West.

Another site which may be developed at Jenny Lane playing fields was the subject of a bitter row between residents and its owners the Roman Catholic Diocese of Leeds. Residents attempted to register the land as a village green but a Government inspec-tor ruled against it in 2005.

Fears have also been raised that green-belt land north of The Rowans and to the west of the former West Lane Reservoir could be swallowed up by housing developments.

It has been allocated as "potentially suitable" on the SHLAA plans, sparking concerns that parts of historic Baildon Moor may be under threat.

Coun L'Amie (Con, Baildon) said: "I would be strongly against any building on green belt and particularly any encroachment onto Baildon Moor as this would be detrimental to the character of the village and the long-term enjoyment of the area by both Baildon inhabitants and the general population of Bradford district."

Baildon Liberal Democrat Councillor John Cole said: "I think Baildon residents will react strongly to any loss of green belt. That is to be expected. But the other side of the argument is that a need has been identified for 45,500 new houses across the district because of population increases."

Although the LDF draft plan states that 550 homes could be built in Baildon, the housing assessment identified space for up to 669 homes on ten sites.

Coun Cole said: "Baildon residents might throw up their hands in horror and say 'we don't want any more houses' but some wards are being asked to take on 2,800 new homes.

"It is a problematic situation and it is going to take a lot of thinking and goodwill to get a satisfactory resolution."

THE LONG-TERM LAND STRATEGY

The Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA) is a technical document which will provide a pool of sites from which to select land to be allocated for housing when preparing the Local Development Framework.

The Framework is a blueprint that will manage development and growth across the district over the next 15 years.

Consultation on it's core strategy document, which sets out a long-term spatial vision for the district until 2028, is continuing. It sets out broad locations for development and policies that will influence the use of land and the type and scale of development permitted, as well as identifying key infrastructure requirements.

The overall Local Development Framework is expected to come into effect in 2013 with consultation over specific land allocations taking place during 2012.

Sites included in the current SHLAA may not make it into the land allocations documents and final framework. In addition further potential sites could be identified as the assessment is updated every year.