Controversial plans to build homes on a Green Belt field have been approved thanks to new national planning rules.
The development of around 60 homes on land off Highgate Grove in Clayton Heights went before members of Bradford Council’s Regulatory and Appeals Committee on Thursday morning.
Two years ago a similar application was refused by the Council after planners pointed out the Green Belt status of the site made it unsuitable for housing.
But at Thursday’s meeting, members were told that since then there has been a huge shift in planning policy.
In a push to increase house building, the Labour Government introduced to concept of Grey Belt.
Under the changes to the National Planning Policy Framework, some Green Belt sites can be re-allocated as Grey Belt, and thus become suitable for building.
Committee members were given a crash course in the new policy, hearing about “footnote 7” and “the golden rules.”
Despite over 250 people objecting to the plans, the application was approved.
Planning officer Luke Ashley told the committee: “Planning policies have changed substantially with regards to Green Belt.”
In this case there was no concern that the house building would lead to two towns or villages merging together, and he argued the development would be a planned extension to an existing residential area, not an “uncontrolled sprawl” into fields.
He said the new policy was “very clear” about how Councils and planning officers should deal with Grey Belt applications.
Unless there were areas that fell within “Footnote 7” of the new guidance, areas that include protected heritage sites or National Parks, housing in Grey Belt should be approved.
Such developments must also stick to “Golden Rules” – these include providing affordable housing on site, improving infrastructure and providing new green spaces for the public.
Mr Ashley said 35 per cent of this development would be affordable homes.
A letter of objection by residents was read out, raising multiple concerns over the plans.
It said the local streets that would be used to access the site were not wide enough, and that there would be a “significant risk” to highway safety by creating an extra 60 homes in this area.
It said quiet electric cars could prove dangerous to young people on local roads.
Councillor Alex Mitchell (Lab, Queensbury) spoke on behalf of objectors. He pointed out that the plans, an outline application, included very little detail of the development, adding: “We can’t even determine what these houses would look like. It is not right to approve a development on Green Belt without knowing what it will look like.”
Richard Mowatt, agent for applicants Aura Land, argued the development would be a “logical extension to Clayton Heights” and would provide 21 affordable homes.
Four members voted to approve the development and two voted against the plans.
