The former factory site at Lidget Green earmarked for up to 400 homes should be a key brownfield development for the city, and it is outrageous that unauthorised dumping of building waste may now have placed the scheme in jeopardy.

There are concerns that the 51,000 tonnes of waste dumped on the site without permission may mean it is no longer suitable for development, because land levels have risen so high any homes could be overbearing.

Bradford Council and the Environment Agency have both now become involved, and it is imperative that the company responsible, Peakstone Aggregates, makes good any problems that are detrimental to building on this site.

The housing development here is a perfect example of the sort of brownfield development this newspaper, along with many others in the district, have been calling for as part of our Save Our Green Spaces campaign, and it is frustrating to see that such an important proposal has been put at risk.

Bradford desperately needs sites like this to be developed to fulfil the housing need that exists in the district without builders being allowed to further plunder our precious green spaces and fields.

So it is absolutely imperative that those responsible for this site are told in no uncertain terms to carry out any remedial work necessary and removal of materials as soon as possible, and to restore the land to the level where the Council is happy the plans can proceed.

In doing so, a message will be sent to developers that they cannot simply ride roughshod over planning and environmental regulations without getting authorisation.