The 6 Acres at Tong: Residents 'plagued' by wedding guests revving engines and setting off flares at new Walton View Hotel wedding venue

Bradford South MP Judith Cummins said guests at weddings being held at the 6 Acres and neighbouring Walton View Hotel in Tong regularly blocked the road and caused traffic issues.

The comments came as part of an objection to a retrospective plan for a rear entrance to the hotel – an issue that was discussed at a meeting of Bradford Council’s Area Planning Panel on Wednesday.

The hotel was built as an addition to the Grade II listed 6 Acres in recent years. But work to the hotel included several aspects for which planning permission was never granted. These include a new access road from Tong Lane.

Although one access road near the hotel had been included in plans approved in 2020 – the road that was built was 160m closer to the village, and led to a longer stretch of road being built on green belt.

A planning application to remove this unauthorised entrance and move it 30m closer to the hotel was submitted to Bradford Council by Mohammed Hussain last year.

At the planning meeting on Wednesday, members heard there had been numerous objections to the plans, including from Ms Cummins.

A letter from the MP read out to the panel said: “The changes don’t address any of the existing issues.

“There are major concerns about the usage of the hotel’s back entrance.

“When weddings take place there can be severe traffic obstructions on Tong Lane and Westgate Hill Street.

“Cars block access to other businesses and residential properties.

“The marshalling provided seems to be ineffective. There are vehicles revving their engines and beeping their horns, and drivers and passengers setting off flares from the windows of their vehicles.”

Martin Hare from neighbouring Lane End Farm opposite the entrance said: “The cars park up all down Tong Lane, sometimes three wide. Noone can get into or out of the village.

“You ask them to move and you get abuse. I’ve had people threaten to come back and smash my windows. There are already two big entrances to the front of the venue. Why do we need one here?”

A Mr Mir, representing the applicant, told the panel that the originally approved entrance was unworkable due to the land levels.

He said the relocated entrance would deal with many of the issues raised by objectors.

Members were told that £3m had been spent on the venue, it employs 60 people, and attracts prestigious events.

Planners said if the application was approved, the current entrance would be closed off and the land restored to its original state.

Planning officers said what was in place at present “wasn’t working at all” – but were convinced the changes in this application would help the matter.

They said traffic orders – likely double yellow lines on Tong Lane, could be included as a condition of the changes.

Members agreed, and voted to approve the amended access point.