Large housing scheme planned for green belt

Developments on green belt land generally require "exceptional circumstances" as to why planning rules should be ignored

A housing developer has said green belt land on the edge of a village should be designated as grey belt to enable a 147-home scheme.

Davis Wilson Homes has submitted a planning application for the development off Keighley Road, Steeton, Bradford, and said there was a "pressing need" for homes in the area.

Developments on green belt, which is designated open land primarily aimed at preventing urban sprawl, generally require "exceptional circumstances" to permit building.

However, new changes to the planning system introduced by the government to speed up housebuilding permits some green belt sites to be redesignated as grey belt.

There have already been 60 objections to the proposals for a large area of land between Steeton Cricket Club and a railway line, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Neil Whittaker, a local Green Party councillor, said: "Steeton, like neighbouring towns and villages, is seeing far too many houses being built on precious green spaces without enough investment in local infrastructure."

He said the changes to planning rules had intended to allow only "poor quality" green belt land to be turned into grey belt.

"This planning application - along with a recent development that's been approved in Addingham – shows this is just not the case.

"We should be protecting green spaces for future generations. Once they are lost, they are lost forever."

'Community benefit'

The developers acknowledge that some of the site lies within a flood plain, but said this area would be set aside for green space.

If approved, the development will be made up of six, one-bedroom bungalows, 20 two-bedroom homes, 66 three-bedroom homes and 55 four-bedroom homes.

The development will include 36 affordable homes, as well as a new children's play area.

"There is a pressing need to deliver new market and affordable homes in the area," the application stated.

"The site is ideally located to deliver these new homes for the benefit of the community."

The planning application added that the scheme would support local services and contribute to the character of the area.

"Whilst the site is located within the green belt, it is the applicant's view that the site can be characterised as grey belt land," it said.

A decision on the application is expected in the coming months.

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