A retrospective application for housing that was built without proper permission has been approved by a planning panel.
Plans to build two homes on the car park of the former Delvers pub in Heaton were originally approved by a Bradford Council planning panel in 2015.
The houses, just off Quarry Street, have only recently been constructed. But before work was completed it became clear that what was built was different to what was approved.
The buildings were taller than the original plans, the windows different, and the houses are now for bed – rather than the three bed homes approved a decade ago.
The Council had deemed the development unauthorised, and this summer Amjad Yacoob submitted a retrospective planning application in a bid to retain the housing.
That application went before the Council’s District Planning Panel on 15 October, when members approved the retrospective plans.
But one member pointed out that despite the application being for two, four-bed homes, the properties had been advertised as five bed homes online.
Planning officer Lucy Fillingham said: “In 2015 this development was recommended for refusal by planning officers, but went on to be approved by members of a planning panel.”
Phil Bates, agent for the application, said the applicant was willing to make some changes to the design of the building for it to be approved.
These included changes to the windows and a new garden wall to replace a timber fence.
He said: “The applicant believed he was able to change the design of what had been approved through permitted development. He was incorrect, you can’t use permitted development when something hasn’t been built yet.”
Councillor Mohammed Amran (Lab, Heaton) questioned the provision of just three car parking spaces, saying: “If you get three cars parked there, you won’t be able to open the doors.”
Mrs Fillingham said: “The application had been recommended for refusal in 2015, but members of the planning panel had an alternative view.”
She said it would be difficult for the Council to refuse the plans when their colleagues had approved development on the site a decade ago.
Cllr Amran added: “These homes are being advertised online as four or five bed houses. Parking will be a major problem.”
Mrs Fillingham confirmed the application before the Council was for two four bed homes, adding: “I don’t know where they’d fit a fifth bedroom in.”
Councillor Matt Edwards (Green, Tong) said: “We’ve got officers trying to defend a previous application that they didn’t originally endorse.
“The person building these homes has not followed the planning process properly.
“But I can’t see a reason to refuse this based on the previous approval.”
Chair of the Committee Councillor Sinead Engel (Lab, Clayton and Fairweather Green) said the plans would see housing built on a brownfield site, adding: “The benefits outweigh the negatives.”
The retrospective application was then approved.
