Shipley leisure centre plans derailed by train 'ball strike' fears

The plans would have seen the leisure centre be built on a former waste site in Shipley

The risk of passing trains being hit by balls was one of the reasons behind plans for a new leisure centre being rejected, councillors have said.

Sport England had warned planners about the danger of "nuisance" ball strikes if the planned outdoor pitch was built near a rail line in Shipley.

The application, for the former waste site on Valley Road, was also turned down on several other grounds.

Those included a drive-through takeaway planned for the site.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), planning officers had also previously noted that the site could be needed again for Bradford's waste management.

It was formerly home to Associated Waste Management (AWM), who left the site after a large fire in 2018.

Before then, it was one of the biggest waste facilities in the district.

A report by planning officers said the AWM facility was noted as being "the most advanced and highest capacity recycling facilities within the district".

It added that its location within a central urban area, with good access to the primary road network, made it "a very important component of Bradford's waste management infrastructure".

It said without evidence that the site was no longer needed for waste management, the new development could not be given the go-ahead.

'Ball strike'

If approved by Bradford councillors, the site would have included a new sports hall, indoor football space and a gym as well as the outdoor pitch.

However, in its objections to the plans, Sport England highlighted the potential for "ball strike" which could damage passing trains and "constitute a nuisance".

The organisation added that there was no evidence such a facility was needed in the area.

Meanwhile, a drive-through takeaway planned for the development fell foul of the council's policy preventing fast food venues opening within 400m of a leisure centre or facility regularly used by children.

According to the refusal, the takeaway plan could not be supported without evidence it would not "impact on the health" of people using the sports facility.

Other reasons for the leisure centre plans being rejected included the loss of the waste site's distinctive facade and what highways officers deemed to be inadequate parking provision at the site.