'Living roof' apartment block plan approved

Living roofs aim to attract bees and butterflies to urban areas

A 'living roof' on a planned apartment block in Bingley will help wildlife, it is claimed.

Plans for 16 apartments on land at the junction of Mornington Road with Fearncliffe Road were approved by Bradford Council.

Developers said the roof would be covered in flora – a condition aimed at increasing biodiversity at the site.

In addition, the development would provide 24 car parking spaces, including five off street spaces, accessed from Edward Street, for use by existing residents in the area.

Submitted by Matthew Richards, the application is the latest residential proposal for the site, with plans for 10 flats having been approved in 2011, a scheme for 12 flats approved in 2014 and another application for 16 flats approved in 2017.

Despite these approvals, the site has never been developed.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the brochure for living roofs included in the planning application highlights their benefits including attracting bees and butterflies.

Approving the plans, officers said: “The site occupies a sustainable location within the urban area of Bingley where there is good quality access to public transport links, amenities and services.

“The development would contribute towards meeting housing demand in the context of an acute lack of housing land supply and recent under delivery.”

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