AN ILKLEY councillor has congratulated Bradford Council's housing portfolio holder for an 'about turn' over developing brownfield land in the district first.

Councillor Martin Smith (Con, Ilkley) praised Councillor Val Slater (Lab, Royds) for her stance urging developers to help redevelop brownfield inner city sites.

Coun Slater spoke out last week as members of Bradford Property Forum expressed fears that delays in agreeing which parcels of land can be built on is deterring inward investment across the district.

It was claimed that the Bradford is losing out to other West Yorkshire authorities by being too slow to identify suitable land for housing.

Coun Smith, who has campaigned against overdevelopment in Wharfedale and the loss of green belt and green field sites, said he welcomed Coun Slater's 'recent change of heart'.

He said: "Regarding the recent Bradford Property Forum there was the feeling that Council needs to get its act together and move positively on opening discussions with partners to build on Brownfield lands. I stated some weeks ago in a press release in support of the CPRE’s comments in the same vain, which resulted in Large positive residents support to the effect.

"We now have Coun Val Slater seeming to have seen the light at last by stating in the press where she “urged developers to work with it to help develop to help develop these sites” as opposed to her previous lack of community understanding. I congratulate her in her about turn in seeing reality and supporting the government’s direction of supporting the development of Brownfield land by it grants proposal to help develop these used sites."

Coun Smith is opposition spokesman for the housing, transport and planning portfolio.

He criticised Coun Slater for 'failing to show her face' at the Bradford Core Strategy planning inspector hearings earlier this year - and attacked Bradford Labour group's 'previous negative attitude not to develop Brownfield sites and therefore reduce the number of homes they proposed in the green belt'.

Coun Smith added: "They do not even consider redeveloping old redundant homes over what are now lock up shops. When you visit Europe you see all the family shops which have became lock up shops, now with leased flats over and making the street scene much improved with people living in the city.

"I welcome Cllr Val Slaters recent change of heart and look forward to some positive actions to see the Brownfield sites developed as quickly as they should with assistance from the Governments Grants scheme which I am sure could to extended in projects and funding levels."

Following the Bradford Property Forum concerns, Coun Slater said: "Developers want us to release Green Belt land but we can't do that, the public would not support us. We need developers to develop brownfield sites particularly in the inner city."