RETROSPECTIVE plans to turn the annex of a country house into a holiday let have been approved by Bradford Council.

Dove Hall, at the end of Green Lane, is high on Baildon Moor, and has panoramic views of much of the Bradford District.

In 2016 an application to turn a garage/stable at the property into an annex was approved on the condition that it was only used as ancillary accommodation for the main house.

Since then the Council had received complaints the building has been used as a holiday let - advertised on sites such as Airbnb, since April 2018.

Holiday let plans for Shipley Glen approved

After officers raised the issue, Gillian Kirtland submitted a retrospective application for change of use to a holiday let. The application went before Bradford Council’s Keighley and Shipley Area, with members advised to approve the scheme.

There had been 14 letters of objection to the plans and 14 letters of support. Objectors said the holiday let was in “blatant disregard” of the previous planning decision, and claimed the let would create additional traffic on the narrow public bridleway used to access Dove Hall.

Adrian Rose representing the applicants, argued that a holiday let would generate less traffic than if the annex was occupied full time.

He added: “A teenager with a car would lead to much more comings and goings than this. There is no evidence road use will be intensified.”

Council officers agreed that the one bed holiday let would not generate large amounts of traffic.

Councillor Kyle Green (Cons, Ilkley) said: “It is a shame the plans didn’t come as a holiday let first time, it doesn’t give me great faith in the applicant, but despite my reservations I can’t think of any reason to refuse this plan.”