A DECISION on controversial plans to build a new car park at an Oakenshaw primary school have been deferred after new evidence emerged that the site may be at risk of flooding.

Bradford Council’s Regulatory and Appeals Committee were yesterday due to decide on plans for a car park opposite Woodlands CE Primary school.

The application was submitted by Interchange 26 LLP - the developers behind a major industrial scheme in neighbouring Kirklees.

This 20 space car park would be a mitigation measure to deal with the fallout of any increase in traffic caused by the development.

However, there has been a significant number of objections to the plans, including from the school's head - Karen Webster. She said the car park's location - on the opposite side of the road to the school - put pupils and staff at risk.

Head objects to plan for car park at primary school

A report to the Committee advised members to approve the plans, and included comments from flood and drainage officers saying the plans were "acceptable."

When members were due to discuss the application at yesterday's online meeting, Planning Officer Malcolm Joy told members one resident had sent in evidence 11 days ago to show the site, off Mill Carr Hill Road, had recently flooded.

Due to this evidence, the flood authority withdrew its original submission to the Council which supported the plans.

Mr Joy said he had contacted the applicants for a response, but their agent was on annual leave which only recently ended.

As the applicants had been unable to respond to the new evidence in such a short timescale, Mr Joy advised members to defer any decision on the plans to a future meeting.

A decision will now be made at a meeting in September.