Plan for homes and business in Bradford set for approval

Bradford Council’s executive will discuss the ‘local plan core strategy’ next week which includes proposals to build homes on greenfield and green belt sites.

Last year the then housing minister intervened to prevent the strategy from being adopted by the council after concerns were expressed by Shipley MP Philip Davies.

But in March, following complaints at the delay from Bradford Council and the Leeds City Region Local Enterprise Partnership, the block was lifted.

The document sets out the broad plan for where homes and business to be built but does not identify particular pieces of land.

Bradford Council leader Susan Hinchcliffe said: “From the outset everyone knew that the local Plan obviously complied with all the planning rules set by Government and therefore it would have been odd for the Government to find their own rules defective.

“The only difference the Government’s bureaucratic intervention has made is that it has delayed the adoption of our plan by almost a year.

“The Secretary of State confirms our view that Green Belt should only be developed in exceptional circumstances. We agree.

“We have as much concern about the countryside and want to protect it as much as anyone else. “

While the council has criticised the Government’s intervention as an unnecessary delay, Mr Davies has described the move as a “shot across the bows” of the authority.

In his letter lifting the block, Gavin Barwell, who was housing minister before the general election, warned the council the move should not be taken as a green light to allow building on green belt land.

The minister said he would consider reviewing planning applications submitted to Bradford Council while the authority decides which pieces of land should be built on, a process known as site allocations.

Mr Davies has previously accused the council of being “triumphant” over the decision to remove the block and urged it to take notice of the warnings of further intervention from the Government if the green belt is not properly safeguarded.