PLANS to build more than 70 homes on a canalside brownfield site in Shipley have been given the go ahead by Bradford Council.

The plans will see 74 houses built on the new Swanside development in Dock Lane, Shipley, on the banks of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal.

The two-hectare plot of brownfield land is currently empty and has been for a decade, following the closure of a factory at the southern end of the site, and outline plans for 80 homes on the site were approved in November 2017.

The new plans will see 74 homes built, with the initially-planned block of ten flats replaced with four houses.

Development on the land will consist of a mix of semi-detached and terraced housing, made up of two, three and four-bedroom houses, and a mix of two-storey, three-storey, and two-and-a-half-storey properties.

In the application’s planning statement, it said: “The scheme will significantly improve the appearance of the existing disused site through high quality development and landscaping.

“Careful consideration has been given to the design to ensure it reflects the surrounding area but also the historic routes of this part of Shipley.”

Despite being next to the canal, a flood risk assessment carried out by the developers, Mandale Homes 2 Ltd, found the site is outside the flood risk zone, and would therefore be unaffected.

When the initial outline plans were approved last year, the developers were made subject to a Section 106 agreement, which still applies now full planning permission has been granted.

The developers were told they must ensure some of the houses on the site are put up as affordable housing.

It will also have to provide £40,000 to pay for bus shelters to be constructed at two bus stops close to the site and also for Residential MCards to encourage new residents of the site to use public transport.

Each home must also be fitted with an electric vehicle car charging point to encourage people towards more environmentally-friendly travel.

Conservation officer John Ackroyd said the development would be a benefit to the area, but described the appearance of the houses which will overlook the canal as “not inspirational”.

He said: “The proposals offer generally encouraging built form which recognises the industrial character of this part of the canal conservation area.

“With attention to the fenestration facing the canal on the newly proposed houses, there is opportunity for the development to make a positive contribution to the setting of the conservation area.

“The western apex of the site demands a strong visual presence, promoting the development and making a positive visual statement.

“The form is distinctive although the architectural treatment is not inspirational.”