Guidance for those planning to upgrade homes

Public talks are now underway on Bradford Council’s new guidelines which will help those living in the district ensure their proposals meet local planning rules.

The guidance seeks to give homeowners and designers a clear understanding of what is likely to be acceptable to the council and ensure proposals are well-designed, and includes illustrative diagrams and drawings.

Coun Val Slater, the council’s executive member responsible for planning, said: “The revised guidance has been created to make the development process simpler for householders and designers and reflects our current planning policies.

“It incorporates changes made to national legislation in recent years about permitted householder development which does not require planning permission.

“Importantly, though, the guidance also aims to ensure plans meet high quality design standards so buildings do not detract from their surroundings.”

A seven-week consultation period has begun for residents and other parties to give their views on the authority’s Householder Draft Supplementary Planning Document.

It simplifies current guidance about how common types of residential developments should be carried out to ensure they meet local planning rules.

New guidance has been outlined to improve the appearance of dormer windows and ease overcrowding. Officers would take overcrowding into consideration when assessing proposed house extensions, though applicants would still need to ensure there is no detrimental impact on neighbouring properties.

The consultation period will end on Monday, January 30.

The guidance forms part of ongoing work by the Council on the Local Development Framework, the statutory document which will be used to guide development within the district until 2028.

Full details of how to comment are contained in the draft guidance which is available to view on the council’s website at www.bradford.gov.uk/ldf under “current consultations”.

It can also be accessed at main libraries in the Bradford district including Bradford Central, Shipley, Keighley and Ilkley, as well as council offices at Jacobs Well, Bradford, the Keighley One-Stop Shop, Shipley Town Hall and Ilkley Town Hall.