BRADFORD Council has dismissed a plea to extend a public consultation into its local plan, after fears were raised lockdown could mean many residents are unable to have their say.

The Local Plan will determine where in the district housing and business developments can, and cannot, be built.

It will cover a period that lasts until 2038 - and identify the sites needed to meet government targets of delivering around 1,700 homes in the District each year.

The consultation started last month and will last until March 24.

But Bingley's three Councillors have argued that with the entire consultation taking place during the lockdown period, less tech savvy residents may not be able to access the hundreds of pages of documents that make up the draft plan. They have called for the consultation to be extended until facilities like libraries and community centres can re-open.

But Bradford Council has said delaying the process by extending the consultation could risk the Government stepping in to take over the process - removing any local say in the matter.

And one top Councillor has pointed out that Shipley MP Philip Davies (Cons) had already delayed the process after persuading the Government to halt proceedings during the early stages in 2016.

A letter to the Council's Executive by Bingley Councillors David Heseltine, John Pennington and Geoff Winnard, all Conservative, said: "We have been approached by a number of residents concerned that they will not be able to take part in the consultation on Bradford Council’s Local Plan which has a closing date of March 24.

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"We would ask that consideration be given to extend the period of the consultation to allow wider public engagement.

"There is considerable public interest in Bingley particularly concerning potential housing allocation sites across the ward and it is important that all efforts should be made to facilitate and encourage our local communities to feed in their views – this is simply not possible in the current circumstances. We cannot assume that only the internet savvy are interested in the future of their local communities.

"Holding a public consultation during the pandemic with the current lock-down provisions will inevitably depress levels of public engagement. Public libraries and community centres are closed and there is no immediate possibility of holding meetings with community groups to discuss the proposals in the plan

This will prevent some residents, who either do not have access to the internet access or are not confident internet users from feeding in their views. Some of the on-line documents are inevitably complex and difficult to navigate for many people and public access to hard copies would make things easier for some.

"The consultation on the local plan must be inclusive and open to all - we ask that the period of the consultation be extended beyond the current lock-down restrictions to enable that all interested local residents and community organisations have the opportunity to respond to the proposed plan."

Bingley's share of new housing in the local plan would see over 780 built between now and 2038 over eight sites, including 440 at Sty Lane, which already has planning permission, 135 on a field at Coolgardie, Keighley Road, 93 at Crosley Wood road in Gilstead - the former site of a number of apartment buildings, and 18 on farmland at Heights Lane in Eldwick.

The consultation asks people what they think about homes being built on these sites, or what sites people would prefer to see the town's housing allocation built.

In response to the Bingley Councillors' request, Councillor Alex Ross-Shaw, Executive Member for Regeneration Planning and Transport, said: “We’re doing everything we can to make the process as accessible as possible in difficult circumstances. Progressing the Local Plan is what the government is encouraging and expecting councils to do.

“We’re making every effort to give people the opportunity to engage with the consultation process including media and press engagement, councillor briefings, Council Ward Officer networks, and twenty online public events on top of the usual online consultation. Those who don’t have any internet access can phone our Planning Department on 01274 433679 and officers will be able to discuss the Local Plan, take comments and answer questions.

“The government have stipulated that councils need to have an adopted and up to date Local Plan by the end of 2023 and failure to do so could risk the government stepping in and taking control of the process, which would mean less local involvement and engagement as a result.

“Further delays to the process on top of the already significant time lost due to the ‘call-in’ from Shipley’s MP of the Core Strategy adoption, would risk us being in a position where we may not be able to adopt a Local Plan under the government’s mandated timelines.

“The government have also amended the regulations around consultations on the Local Plan process to allow them to take place during this period, which indicates a desire to see councils progress Local Plans during the pandemic.

“Extending the consultation period further would also move it into the pre-election period for local elections, which the government have insisted on going ahead with during the pandemic.”