THE next stage of a major employment scheme in Bradford will go before a planning committee on Thursday.

Work on the Gain Lane enterprise zone began last year. When complete, the employment site is expected to bring over 550 jobs to the area.

Plans to re-develop the site, and create a new access road, have already been approved, but at a meeting of Bradford Council’s Regulatory and Appeals Committee members will decide whether to grant permission to the first buildings on the site.

Submitted by Commercial Development Projects Limited, the detailed application is for two units, measuring 3,760 and 2,900 square metres.

The Gain Lane site, neat the Bradford and Leeds border, is the first of three “enterprise zones” planned to boost employment in the Bradford District.

Empty site on Parry Lane, Bradford, to become £19m 'enterprise zone'

Last year West Yorkshire Combined Authority agreed to provide £9.877 million of funding to kick start the Gain Lane scheme.

Members were told that although the large site had been designated as employment land since 1993, the high costs of developing the site put off any business from moving to the site.

The Combined Authority funding was to prepare the site for the future development, including creating new access roads and opening the doors for private sector investment. A marketing consultant will help promote the site to employers.

The detailed application for the first two units, as well as parking for the future businesses, was submitted last year.

Three people had objected to the planning application, raising concerns about noise from the site, concerns that chemicals could be stored there and that the development would lead to more traffic in the area.

Members of the committee will be advised to approve the application when the committee meets at 10am in City Hall on Thursday.

A report going to the committee says: “A mix of colours is proposed on the elevations to try and break up the overall mass of the building. The design of the buildings is considered acceptable in that it is a traditional design of modern industrial/commercial premises.

“Overall it is not considered that the proposal will have a detrimental impact on the visual character and appearance of the locality and there is no objection to the proposal.”

Referring to concerns that chemicals could be stored on the site, the report adds: “Any company that uses chemicals would be subject to strict controls from the Health and Safety Executive and this would ensure that the safety of the residents would be ensured.”

As part of the plans, a number of trees on the site would have to be retained, with naturally planted boundary treatments.

If approved, work on the units would likely start next year, with the whole site due to be completed by 2025.