An application to renew planning permission for a 362-apartment development near the city centre has been recommended for refusal.

The application, for a residential development on a vacant plot of land at Trafalgar Street and Snowden Street (pictured), near the junction of Manningham Lane and Hamm Strasse, has been submitted to Bradford Council by Sailbridge Developments.

The scheme, which is split into three different buildings and includes a 15-storey oval tower, was approved in 2008 subject to a section 106 legal agreement, which included provision for affordable housing as well as contributions for educational and recreational facilities.

However, the current application seeks to dramatically reduce levels of contribution, due to a fall in property prices and land valuation, which has caused officers to recommend it be refused.

As a result of the downturn, the company wants to reduce its housing contribution by 25 per cent from £480,000 to £360,000, and its recreation open space and education contributions, previously agreed at £259,450 and £134,924 respectively, by 33 per cent each.

Sailbridge Developments has also questioned why an education contribution was asked for by the Council, as the flats are unlikely to be occupied by school-age children, and claimed it is not clear how the development will increase costs of providing recreation facilities in the area.

A report by officers, which will be discussed by members of Bradford Area Planning Panel on Thursday, states the proposal is “of a type and scale” that would normally require social contributions towards the provision of affordable housing, education provision and space for recreation.

The report adds: “The developer has failed to give adequate or verifiable justification as to why they should not be made.”

It also claims no economic viability assessment has been submitted with the application and the values of both the land and proposed apartments have not been calculated accurately.

The development would include 164 studios, 109 one-bed and 89 two-bed apartments as well as shops, cafes, offices and leisure units.