A MAJOR national sport body has objected to plans to build 106 homes on former playing fields.

An outline application has been lodged with Bradford Council for the development on the old playing fields at St John's CE Primary School.

The site, off Shetcliffe lane, lies on the fringes of Bierley estate and is now open grass land, secured from use by a metal fence. A design and access statement submitted with application outlines the proposed scheme would provide two, three and four bedroom houses.

Sport England has lodged its objection to the application.

In correspondence with planning officer Malcolm Joy, Maggie Taylor from Sport England, said that because the playing fields have not been used for at least five years, consultation with the body is not a statutory requirement.

However, she said Sport England had considered the application in light of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and its own playing fields policy, which states: "Sport England will oppose the granting of planning permission for any development which would lead to the loss of, or would prejudice the use of: all or any part of a playing field, or land which has been used as a playing field and remains undeveloped, or land allocated for use as a playing field unless, in the judgement of Sport England, the development as a whole meets with one or more of five specific exceptions."

The body applies its policy to any land in use as playing field or last used as playing field which remains undeveloped, irrespective of whether that use ceased more than five years ago.

The correspondence says: "Lack of use should not be seen as necessarily indicating an absence of need for playing fields in the locality. Such land can retain the potential to provide playing pitches to meet current or future needs."

It adds that an email from Bradford Council's Parks and Green Spaces team makes no comment on the loss of playing field - only general open space.

It also says that the adopted 'Playing Pitch Strategy' is not referred to, despite Sport England's advice to reference it at pre-application.

Ms Taylor wrote: "No information has been presented to demonstrate how the proposal addresses either local plan policy to protect playing field, Sport England’s policy to protect playing field or national policy to protect open space and sports facilities within NPPF.

"No reference has been made to the city’s Playing Pitch Strategy to help determine if this site is surplus, whether it should be protected or whether its loss could be adequately mitigated."

However, the correspondence says Sport England is prepared to reconsider its position in light of a "thorough assessment" as to whether there is a need to protect or mitigate the loss of the playing field.

The determination deadline for the application is set for October 16 this year.