A property expert says there needs to be a “seismic shift” in planners’ thinking to regenerate hundreds of crumbling buildings and derelict sites across the district.

Bradford Property Forum chairman Paul Mackie said planners needed to use more “common sense” in encouraging developers to build on derelict land ahead of green belt.

That could include Councils and the Government offering incentives for developers prepared to clean up and build on developed land.

Authorities could also drastically cut the number of listed buildings.

Mr Mackie said: “There needs to be a seismic shift in the way that people are looking at this and we need some common sense about it. Growth will come hand-in-hand with having viable sites available for development.”

His comments follow the start of a campaign by the Heaton Township Association – backed by the Telegraph & Argus among other groups – to create a map of derelict sites across the district.

Sites which will be on the map include homes in Chain Street, Bradford, Conditioning House near Forster Square and the Manor House in Rosebery Road, Manningham.

Mr Mackie Bradford Council is carrying out an audit on its 6,000 listed buildings, with a view to de-listing some, which could then be developed.

Mr Mackie, who was among a delegation of Bradford business leaders who raised the issue with the district’s MPs on Wednesday. He said: “There are too many listed buildings that are not fit for anything other than to be knocked down.

“They will never be converted into anything because of the costs involved, so the only thing we should be talking about is de-listing them and creating something from the site that is there.”

  • Read the full story in Friday’s T&A