Hundreds of possible housing sites proposed as Bradford plans for next 15-20 years

Bradford Council yesterday began a public consultation on its Local Plan, a document that will map out sites where housing should, and should not, be built.

The hefty document, which runs into hundreds of pages, also includes locations for future employment sites.

The number of homes planned for Bradford city centre is higher than in early drafts of the plan, and proposals to build thousands of homes to the South East of the District seem to have been scaled back slightly.

A local plan is a document that allocates sites that will be used to meet Government appointed housing targets, and helps shape planning decisions for years to come.

Bradford has been without an up to date local plan for years, and the current housing target for the District is around 1,700 homes a year.

Until 2019 it was 2,476 - but a change in Government policy led to Bradford Council re-drawing its targets.

Despite this lower figure, the Local Plan will still see a number of Green Belt sites earmarked for development - with up to 20 per cent of the homes built on sites that are currently Green Belt.

As well as 325 housing sites, the plan also includes 80 hectares of employment land and the designation of 1,693 open spaces - totalling 2,781ha of land.

More Greenbelt land may be spared as fewer houses needed under revised Bradford local plan

Early drafts of the plan saw around 4,000 of the new homes allocated for sites in and around Bradford City Centre.

However, in the latest plan that has significantly increased to 7,000 homes, with around 2,500 of these located in the “Southern Gateway” to the city.

One of the most controversial aspects of the early drafts of the plan was a proposal to build 2,500 homes in the Tong Valley to the East of Holme Wood, much of which is Green Belt land.

The plan says that the allocation for this area has been reduced - now 2,126 need to be built across the entire South East Bradford area.

However, the plan says Green Belt land is still likely to be allocated for around 1,447 homes - including 296 on sites off Ned Lane and 1,158 to the north of Westgate Hill Street.

Keighley town centre is another area where a large number of sites will be allocated, with a focus on the town centre and vacant sites near Keighley Rail Station.

Once a local plan is adopted, it makes it more difficult for developers to gain planning permission to build on sites that are not allocated for housing or employment.

However, if a site is allocated for such a purpose, it makes it more difficult for the Council to refuse planning applications for those sites.

Members of the public are now able to have their say on the proposed sites - although some Councillors have questioned how effective the virtual consultation will be.

Sites allocated for housing in the plan include:

BRADFORD CITY CENTRE

Former Royal Mail site on Valley Road - the land had recently been earmarked as a major leisure development, but under the new plans could accommodate up to 300 homes

Former Bee Hive Mills site between Smith Street and Thornton Road - a vacant site that up to 200 homes could be built on

Thornton Road South - a former foundry site that could accommodate 300 homes.

SHIPLEY

Land off Glenview Drive, Bankfield Road, Nab Wood - a 6.2 Hectare site that could be allocated for 164 homes.

HMRC site off Salts Mill Road - the site will soon be vacated by HMRC and could accommodate 266 homes.

BINGLEY

Coolgardie on Keighley Road - up to 135 houses could be allocated to the agricultural site

Sty Lane - a site that already has outline planning permission for 440 houses

BAILDON

A greenfield site North of West Lane could accommodate 46 homes

COTTINGLEY

The village’s entire 150 home allocation could be accommodated on a single Green Belt site - off Marchcote Lane. A hugely controversial planning application for 155 homes on the site is currently going through the planning process.

KEIGHLEY

Winfield Drive - land that used to accommodate Council flats could accommodate up to 39 homes.

Braithwaite Avenue/North Dean Road - a former Primary School site that up to 173 homes could be built on.

ILKLEY

Ben Rhydding Drive, Wheatley Grove - 130 homes could be allocated for this site

Coutances Way - pasture land that up to 155 homes could be built on

BURLEY IN WHARFEDALE

Two sites in the village would be able to accommodate all 549 homes allocated to the area - Sun Lane (500) and the Scalebor House site on Moor Lane (110).

Councillor Alex Ross-Shaw, Bradford Council’s Executive Member for Regeneration, Planning and Transport, said: “This is a key milestone in the development of the Local Plan which sets out the proposals for the growth and sustainability of the district over the next 15 to 20 years.

"The development of the Local Plan is important for all communities right across the district. The consultation is the first step of a key part of the process. We need to know what elements of the plan that people like and support as well as any concerns, so I would encourage everyone to make their views known via the consultation.”

Councillor Sarah Ferriby, Portfolio Holder for Healthy People and Places, said: “Sustainable development and climate action are two of our key priorities for the future of the district, so the inclusion of measures to help us live in a greener, cleaner way with lower carbon emissions is vital for us to make the necessary progress to be net zero by 2038. We also have to lay the foundations of a green economy to ensure that living and working sustainably can benefit as many people as possible.”

After the consultation was launched, Conservative Councillor Jackie Whiteley said: “The Conservative group are concerned at the assertion that Bradford Council makes that 20 per cent of homes during the plan period will need to be built on Green Belt Land.

“We would like to know why the Council cannot use its contribution from the Government Award to West Yorkshire ( £67 million) to make Brownfield sites viable to alleviate the need to use Green Belt”

She also questioned whether people without internet access would be “seriously disadvantaged” when it came to taking part in the consultation.

Councillor Jeanette Sunderland, leader of the Liberal Democrats on Bradford Council, said: “If the Covid pandemic has taught us anything it is that clean air, clean water and open spaces are our most valuable assets. For us the plan needs to do no harm to people, places or the planet. We will be concentrating on looking at policies to meet local needs and how the plan can be focused to increase biodiversity across the district and make more space for nature.

“Alongside this we recognise the council needs to build houses for people to live in. The Council needs to do more to provide good quality, environmentally sound properties that people can afford to live in with enough space around them for people to enjoy and gardens for children to play in.”

She added: “It disappointing that the Council is launching such an important consultation at a time when people cannot get together to discuss the issues. This means that it is really difficult for people to make their views known on what is the most important tool to improve the future of our health and that of the planet.”

Independent Councillor for Ilkley Anne Hawksworth said the number of houses allocated for Ilkley seemed to have been reduced, but criticised the sites chosen.

She also raised concerns over the consultation process, saying: “Sadly under the current lockdown and restrictions on life important items such as this which would normally have full public consultation in a wider areas.

“It is not possible currently and so there is the danger of permissions being just nodded through without full Public scrutiny. It could be said that democracy is one of the Covid Casualties.”

To take part in the consultation, and to see the full list of sites, visit https://bradford.oc2.uk/document/20.

People can phone 01274 433679 during office hours or email planning.policy@bradford.gov.uk. The online consultation closes on 24 March.