Plan for leisure centre and take away on former waste site

The proposals say the development, which also includes a drive thru take away, will “add to the vibrancy of Shipley.”

But a local football organisation has argued there is “no clear evidence of the need for this facility.”

An application to build a new leisure facility on the former Associated Waste Management site on Valley Road was submitted to Bradford Council early last year.

Public Health had raised concerns about a sports development including an on site drive thru take away, and Sports England also questioned aspects of the proposal.

The application was withdrawn later in the year.

Now a second, slightly amended application for the site has been submitted to Bradford Council by P.H Holdings.

The development includes a large leisure building, with a sports hall, spin room, gym, fitness studio, café and changing rooms on the ground floor, and indoor football pitches on the first floor.

There will be an outdoor football pitch, drive thru take away and 120 parking spaces.

The AWM site has been vacant since a fire swept through the waste business in 2018.

The former AWM site on Valley Road (Image: newsquest)

The planning application says: “The proposed development will bring local employment and add to the vibrancy of Shipley.

“The redundant site will be regenerated into a community facility which promotes physical as well as mental health. The community asset will aid job creation and be a benefit to the wider area.

“The edge of centre location for the development is deemed acceptable due to the lack of other suitable sites of the same size and the suitability of the site being easily accessible of the main road, the A6037.

Referring to the concerns raised before the previous application was withdrawn, the plans say: “Sports England objected to the previously proposed development. Following the comments received the size of the outdoor pitch have been amended.

“Public Health raised concerns about the drive through element being at odds with the sports and leisure centre. This element is considered to offer a valuable service to the wider Shipley area and visitors as well as staff at the leisure centre. A wide range of take away services are available in this urban area of Bradford and the drive through element aids providing car users and members of the leisure centre with a good quality service.”

The application includes a report into the demand for such a facility, which argues there is a need for more 3G pitches in Bradford, and claims local clubs would likely make use of the facility.

But it also reveals that the applicant has held discussions with the West Riding County FA. A statement from the WRCFA included in this report says: “We have no clear evidence of the need for this facility. There is no information or case made as to why the local market requires a facility of this kind, especially when there is a Goals soccer centre two miles away with recently re-laid pitches.”

A decision on the application is expected in April.