Builders told: Put more homes on site

From the Telegraph & Argus, first published Friday 18th Feb 2005.

A planning application to build 23 houses on a former school site has been deferred - because councillors want to see more houses built on the land.

Shipley Area Planning Panel has asked developer Magellan Residential Limited to consider having more homes on the Nab Wood Middle School site , and incorporate sustainable energy features.

Members heard that there was a clash of Government policy over the development of the site on New Close Road.

It is green belt land and so housing development is considered inappropriate. If it were to go ahead it would have to be ratified by the Secretary of State.

But because it was previously a school it is deemed a brown field site - and so housing density of between 30 and 50 houses is recommended.

Councillor the Reverend Paul Flowers (Lab, Great Horton) said: "We need to have more dwellings on that site and there is ample room for it. It should also include affordable housing because there is a paucity of it in that particular area."

He also wanted a legal agreement between the council and the developer to make environmental enhancements to land next door.

But Conservative councillors Valerie Binney (Thornton and Allerton) and Elaine Byrom (Clayton and Fairweather Green) disagreed. Coun Binney said: "I think it is a very sensible application now. Just because the Government says we should build 30 to 50 houses density doesn't mean we have to do it."

The application was deferred so that officers could produce a report on sustainable energy and for the developer to look at increasing the number of homes.

l Councillors have stood by their decision to allow three houses to be built in Micklethwaite despite hearing there was an error on the original report.

Planning permission was granted for the houses on land off Sty Lane by the Panel in November last year. But yesterday area planning officer Peter Bridgman acknowledged that the officer's report stating no protected trees would be affected by the development had been incorrect.

Members heard conflicting evidence from two tree experts.

John Cockin said at least 35 of the trees were `semi-mature to mature' and deserved protection.

But Bradford Council's expert Michael Anders said the trees were immature and the species was common. He said the developers' offer of replanting other species elsewhere on the site to compensate was acceptable.

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