Call to keep land for a new school

Councillor Eric Dawson is demanding that a plot of land adjoining a site off Halsteads Way, Steeton, where 130 new homes are earmarked to be built, must be safeguarded for a new school.

City Hall planners have prepared a planning brief and are encouraging residents to comment on the proposals, which were adopted as part of Bradford's Unitary Development Plan.

The planning inspector instructed planners to prepare a brief to show the highway layout, landscaping and other details of the scheme, including a new school.

But planning officers have warned that if the school plot is not developed, it could be used for housing.

Coun Dawson (Con, Craven) said: "I believe there will be a need for a new school especially with the number of houses that are being proposed. The two local primary schools at Steeton and Eastburn would not be able to cope with a big influx of children.

"I think that land must be kept for the school and must be left as an open space until it is needed.''

He said Steeton with Eastburn Parish Council, which meets tonight to discuss the plan, was also concerned about the access to the site along Clough Avenue and Halsteads Way, which was narrow and was often used for residential parking.

"The volume of traffic is likely to be very high and if there is a school there will be buses using the roads. Some form of traffic-calming measures must be included,'' he said.

He added that the council would prefer to see access to the site from Station Road, Steeton, which was less busy than the Keighley to Skipton Road.

A planning spokesman said the school would be located at the eastern end of the site which would cause less nuisance to residents.

There was no guarantee there would be a need for a school and in that case the area could be developed for housing.

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