A PLANNED housing development that has attracted hundreds of objections has been supported by planning officers.

On Thursday members of Bradford Council's Regulatory and Appeals Committee will meet to decide whether to grant permission for a housing developer to build 69 houses on a field off Westminster Drive in Clayton.

Almost 240 people have objected to the plans, but a report to the committee recommends that members approve the development.

Barratt Homes, which has also developed a neighbouring site in the village, revealed the plans last year and the scheme met with a great deal of opposition in the village.

The application will include 14 houses that are classed as affordable.

As well as the scores of individual objections to the plans, campaign group Keep Clayton Green has also voiced its concern, and Clayton Parish Council urged Bradford Council to refuse the plans, saying local infrastructure in the village was already "overwhelmed."

The report going before the committee suggests there are no major planning reasons to refuse the plan, and point out that Bradford cannot prove it has a five year supply of housing land - something Government requires of all Councils.

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It also details the dozens of different reasons people have objected to the plans. One objector says the noise of construction work during development would harm their ability to work from home.

Another said: "You are employed by the taxpayers so please perform this role carefully, and wisely."

One objector says the development would reduce the value of existing houses in the village.

Another claimed the plans would be approved as "palms have been greased." The report responds to that claim by saying: "No evidence has been submitted to back up this accusation.

"The application has been dealt with by professional officers who have standards to adhere to through their membership of the Institute."

One objection argues that building on a field would remove an area of space that residents of the village could use for recreation. Planning officers point out that the field is private land - and not a public recreation space.

A further objection says: "There are plenty of other greenbelts in Bradford to build on which have less implications on people’s lives" while another suggests new houses be created in the city centre, rather than Bradford's suburbs.

The report adds: "A number of objections have been received suggesting that the Green Belt should not be built on.

"It must be stressed that the site is not located within the Green Belt."

The Committee meets in City Hall at 10am on Thursday.