Shipley is set to get its answer to EastEnders' Albert Square - if councillors back plans for a new housing development.

Just like its soap counterpart, the London-style square in Hirst Wood would feature a fenced off central square overlooked by homes on all sides.

But there will be no market in the square and instead of Bianca, Ricky and the Mitchell brothers it would provide low-cost homes for real-life Yorkshire folk.

Local community leaders have welcomed the scheme, saying the cosy layout on the former factory site off Hirst Wood Road would help engender a village atmosphere.

Members of Bradford Coun-cil's Town and Country Planning (Shipley Area) sub-committee are due to consider Crest Homes' application for 44 low-cost homes tomorrow.

And an officers' report to that meeting is recommending members grant planning permission subject to the developers signing an agreement to provide traffic calming in Hirst Wood Road.

When the application for a mixture of two, three and four bedroomed semi-detached and terraced homes was discussed at last month's Saltaire and Hirst Wood Neighbourhood Forum local residents said the development should be accompanied by a scheme to slow vehicles down.

When it came to May's planning meeting, councillors deferred making a decision to enable consultations to take place and the scheme is now set to include a series of speed bumps and a narrowing of Hirst Wood Road's entrance.

The officers' report says the proposals include an area of recreational open space, adding: "An area of 1,025 square metres is proposed, centrally located, enclosed by fencing and overlooked by houses on all sides, in the manner of a London square.''

Shipley planning officer Peter Bridgman said: "The plan is for a quadrangle of houses round a green, hence the reference to a London square but I don't think we'll be having any barrows down there.''

Barbara Simpson, chairman of the Dalwood Tenants and Residents Association, has welcomed the scheme saying traffic calming in Hirst Wood Road and low-cost housing in Shipley were both much-needed.

She said she believed the development would help foster a good community spirit just like Albert Square but added: "It would be posher than that.''

Councillor Rowland Dale (Lab, Shipley West) said although he had some reservations about the density of the homes he would welcome the development of the derelict industrial site, adding: "Community is a priceless asset - I think this is an imaginative scheme and anything that does strengthen community spirit has to be welcomed.''

The officers' report also recommends attaching a dozen conditions to any planning permission including landscaping, retaining trees on the three-acre site, provision of open space and providing acoustic fencing to reduce the noise from passing trains.

The site is designated for housing in Bradford's Unitary Development Plan and outline approval for 40 starter homes there was granted in 1994.

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