A HOUSING company has claimed a Bradford development will be “unviable” if they are forced to include affordable housing.

Batty Developments was given planning permission to build 17 homes on an area of green land off Sapgate Lane, Thornton, in March.

Three of the homes would be five bed and 14 would be three bed.

Bradford Council approved plans on the condition that 20 per cent of the homes built were classed as “affordable dwellings.”

But on Thursday the application will go before the Council once again.

Housing scheme on Thornton land given go-ahead

This time the developers have said they will not be able to build the affordable homes as it would “not be viable.”

They will argue that the “abnormal” cost of building on the site means that if they were to provide the lower cost homes, the whole development would not be profitable enough for them to move forward with.

At a meeting of the Council’s Regulatory and Appeals members will decide whether to remove the condition, and instead ask the developer to instead pay a £50,000 contribution to provide affordable housing in the area.

A viability report submitted to the Council says: “The land has been allocated for housing for over 20 years and has been unable to attract developer interest. It is important that any proposals are viable to developers in order for housing to ever be provided on this site.

“This site carries a high number of abnormal costs and associated risks.”

It says poor ground conditions and drainage restrictions are some of the issues that mean developing this site for housing would cost more than developing a regular site.

Members of the committee will be told that the developers submitted the viability report shortly after permission was granted, and urged to alter the conditions - allowing no affordable homes, but asking for a £50,000 contribution towards affordable housing in the Thornton area.

The committee meets at 10am in City Hall on Thursday.

The new twist to the application is the latest in a series of requests made by various housing developers to drop conditions of a planning approval to make a development more profitable.

Last year Skipton Properties asked Bradford Council to alter the conditions attached to an approved development of 28 homes in Harden.

As part of the approval the company signed an agreement saying it would fund local services, including a primary school and park. But last year Skipton returned to the Council to say they could not afford to provide the £100,000 of contributions to the local community.

The Regulatory and Appeals Committee refused the plans, with members saying taxpayers should not “subsidise” local property developers.

The Harden plans were eventually approved when members agreed to remove any affordable housing from the scheme - but to retain the other planning obligations.

And last year Persimmon Homes was accused of “penny pinching” after asking Bradford Council if it could pay £310,000 less than it agreed to in local contributions relating to a housing development in Thackley.