Support for Bradford's Local Plan

Tuesday, 6 December 2016 07:00

Regional leaders are putting pressure on the Government to remove the shackles imposed on Bradford Council’s bid to provide desperately needed new homes and economic prosperity for the future

Leaders of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) and the Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (LEP) have written to Sajid Javid, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, urging him to help Bradford push ahead with its Local Plan Core Strategy.

Despite the Strategy being approved, with minor amendments, by a Government Planning Inspector, Planning Minister Gavin Barwell imposed a Holding Direction in October at the behest of Shipley MP Philip Davies who was concerned that some green belt land in his constituency would be released for housing.

A similar Direction was put on Birmingham’s Local Plan but this has now been lifted by the Government with Mr Javid stating publicly that Westminster politicians should not stand in the way of Local Plans which have been supported by the Planning Inspectorate.

Bradford planners are hoping that Mr Javid will follow the Birmingham decision with a similar one in Bradford’s case and lift Mr Barwell’s last-minute Holding Direction.

Leaders of the LEP and WYCA fear that economic development in the whole region will suffer while the Local Plan remains in limbo. It could be months before Mr Barwell decides whether or not to call in the plan for further consideration.

Bradford city centre and the Shipley-Bradford Canal Road corridor are both identified in the LEP and WYCA shared Strategic Economic Plan as strategically important to the whole region as priorities for economic and housing growth.

Coun Alex Ross-Shaw, Bradford Council’s Executive Member for Regeneration, Planning and Transport, (pictured) said: “As the leaders of the LEP and the WYCA point out, the whole economic development of the West Yorkshire Region is brought into question by the continued delay."

“Mr Javid has said the Government will support councils who are willing to take tough decisions with robust sensible plans, so we hope he will help us remove this unnecessary and arbitrary obstacle.”

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