Draft Bradford District Local Plan - Preferred Options (Regulation 18) February 2021

Canal Road Corridor

Introduction

5.6.1 The Canal Road Corridor (CRC) is located within the main urban area of Bradford, stretching north from the city centre to Shipley alongside Canal Road. It is located within the Regional City of Bradford sub-area. The CRC forms part of the Shipley and Bradford East Parliamentary constituency and falls mainly within the Windhill and Wrose and Bolton and Undercliffe Wards.

5.6.2 The CRC is a traditional employment corridor as well as being a key, transport route northwards into and out of the city, forming a gateway into Airedale and beyond. Traditionally a mixed employment area, the CRC developed out of its close proximity to the Bradford Canal and the railway line. The CRC is today characterised by a range of uses. The central area around Bolton Woods has a variety of uses including existing residential communities and areas of employment, mainly located alongside Canal Road. To the south, the area has a predominance of retail, business and commercial uses, which link to Forster Square retail area.

5.6.3 The Corridor itself is relatively flat but is defined by a steep valley side to the East. The Bradford Beck watercourse flows south to north along the length of the Corridor, though for much of its length it is in culvert. The Shipley to Bradford Forster Square railway line defines the western edge of the area.

Figure 1: Location Plan

5.6.4 The area has a population of 3,089 and 61.2 % of the population falls within the working age category (16-64), similar to regional and national averages. The area has a higher proportion of people under 16 years and lower proportion over 65 years compared to the West Yorkshire and England averages. The ethnic composition consists of people who have identified themselves as White British (50.9%) and non-white (42.4%), which is a notably higher proportion than the West Yorkshire average, but is similar to other urban areas in the District.

5.6.5 The CRC is a regeneration priority area for the Council and was formerly identified as one of four Urban Eco Settlements in the City Region. A Joint Venture Company (JVCo) between the Council and Urbo Regeneration Ltd has been established to support the delivery of comprehensive regeneration in the Corridor. The Council's regeneration ambitions for the area include the delivery of the Canal Road Urban Village New Bolton Woods Masterplan Site - An 'asset based' Joint Venture Company between the Council and Urbo Regeneration Ltd, with the aim of delivering large scale regeneration within the designated Joint Venture Partnership Area. Initial phases of development of this site have been delivered over recent years, including new homes and supporting retail units.

Planning for Prosperity

5.6.7 The Local Plan settlement hierarchy identifies the CRC as within the Regional City of Bradford which is the prime focus for housing, employment, shopping, leisure, education, health and cultural activities and facilities in the District. There is a key focus on transforming its economic, environmental, physical and social conditions to support its long term regeneration. The CRC is also identified by the Local Enterprise Partnership as a Spatial Priory Area (SPA) Investment Location– an area where future housing and employment development should be encouraged.

5.6.8 The area provides the opportunity to deliver significant housing and economic growth supported by environmental and sustainable transport improvements and to secure direct investment and funding to support the delivery of innovative and sustainable development, climate change mitigation and green infrastructure enhancements.

5.6.9 The CRC includes, and is bordered by, some of the most deprived areas within the District. This includes wards which are ranked amongst the 10% most deprived wards in England. The area is adjacent to Manningham Ward, which is ranked 1st of 30 wards in the District for the Index of Multiple Deprivation. Figure 2 shows the overall picture of deprivation in the CRC.

Figure 2: Index of Multiple Deprivation – Canal Road Corridor

Economy and Employment

5.6.10 The CRC has historically been, and remains, a corridor of industry and employment and includes areas that are home to a diverse range of established businesses and employers. The CRC currently provides significant employment opportunities and is popular with many business sectors. There are a range of local employment opportunities within the area. The largest employment sectors in terms of local workforce being retail (18%), health and social work (14%) and manufacturing (13%). Local businesses are generally centred around retail, professional, scientific and technical services, and business administration sectors. There are is one designated employment area within the CRC the Canal Road Employment Zone situated around Hillam Road and alongside Canal Road South of Queens Road. The area is also highly accessible to Bradford city centre and Shipley town centres to access a wider range of employment.

5.6.11 The economic activity rate at 64.9% is just below the West Yorkshire average (68.5%) as are the number of full-time, part-time and self-employed people. The average annual household income at £33,513 is below of the sub-regional average at £38,499.

5.6.12 No specific employment land allocation is proposed for this area, although under Policy SP6 economic growth and investment will continue to be supported particularly with a focus upon the priority sectors within the corridor of retail, manufacturing and professional services.

Retail

5.6.13 Within the Corridor there is a Neighbourhood Centre identified within the New Bolton Woods site. This includes an Aldi food-store and a frozen food store on land at Stanley Road as part of planning commitments for new convenience goods floor-space, within the neighbourhood centre at New Bolton Woods. Overall this Neighbourhood Centre is considered important in providing an appropriate neighbourhood scale centre to serve localised need to support significant future housing growth and existing communities within this sub area.

Transport and Access

5.6.14 The CRC is an important transport corridor, which provides a key link between Bradford city centre, Shipley and Airedale. The majority of the corridor is formed by the A6037 Canal Road/Valley Road. Canal Road is a strategic route within the wider Leeds City Region, linking areas within the Bradford District and beyond

5.6.15 Key transport issues for the Corridor include congestion and queuing during peak periods along Canal Road, in particular the Valley Road / Otley Road and Canal Road / Stanley Road junctions, and areas around Station Road and Bolton Lane. The £47m Bradford Shipley Route Improvement Scheme proposes a raft of measures to cut journey times, improve air quality, reduce road casualties and make the surrounding environments more ecologically friendly. The scheme is currently in development and includes sections of the A650 Manningham Lane and the A6037 Canal Road, Valley Road and A6038 Otley Road. Canal Road and Valley Road would become a streamlined high capacity route diverting non-local traffic from the A650. Junctions could be improved to increase traffic flow. Any new development in the CRC will need to be considered in terms of the road infrastructure along the Canal Road ensuring Canal Road maintains its function as a strategic transport corridor.

5.6.16 Canal Road/Valley Road is in part, not particularly well served by buses, with limited bus services along Canal Road itself. The CRC has good access to rail connections including Frizinghall, Shipley and Forster Square stations. The railway line and stations provide a key opportunity for providing sustainable transport options along the Corridor. However, existing stations along the Corridor at Frizinghall currently have limited parking and poor accessibility.

5.6.17 There are a number of public rights of way (PROW) footpaths which run along the CRC, including the long distance Dales Way link, which connects the area to the wider open countryside to the North. The CRC also benefits from the Canal Road Greenway, which is part of national cycle route 66 providing excellent opportunities for walking and cycling and a safe and attractive pedestrian and cycle route connecting Shipley and Bradford city centre. The route is also segregated from traffic where possible. Future developments will be expected to link to and contribute to enhancing and maintaining the quality of the Canal Road Greenway route and retain its attractiveness in terms of gradient and directness.

5.6.18 Strategic transport infrastructure projects to be delivered within the plan period and protected routes are set out on the Policies Map with the local plan. Key initiatives within the CRC are detailed in Table 1 below.

Table 1: CRC Transport Projects

5.6.19 In relation to digital connectivity, average broadband download speeds is 39.47 megabites per second –faster than the West Yorkshire average (44.57), with 80 premises where speeds are below the Universal Service Obligation (USO).

Planning for Homes

5.6.20 There are 1,157 dwellings within the CRC area. A small proportion of these properties are owner occupied (38.6%), which is well below of the West Yorkshire average (63.4%). 34.8% are socially rented and 23.2% of properties are private rented, which are both higher than the regional and national averages.

5.6.21 The CRC has a varied mix of house types ranging from older terraced properties, accounting for 38.9% and purpose built flats (37.1%) with fewer modern detached (4.9%) and semi-detached (12.6%) houses, which is well below the sub regional average. A large proportion of properties (28.7%) were built before 1900. Figure 3 below provides further information.

Figure 3: CRC – Dwelling Type Breakdown

5.6.22 Average house prices in the CRC are £135,719, which is lower than the than the West Yorkshire average of £183,194. The total affordability ratio between house prices and annual earnings which is usually used as a proxy for number of years' worth of earnings required for a house deposit is 2.31, compared to a West Yorkshire average of 2.96. Delivering new housing and sustainable neighbourhoods is a key part of the overall development strategy for the CRC. This includes major new housing development forming two new sustainable neighbourhoods focused on the New Bolton Woods and Bolton Woods Quarry sites. It will ensure that the housing needs and aspirations of local people can be met, together with those of future residents, including the provision of market and importantly affordable housing. further growth will support the council's regeneration ambitions for the CRC as a sustainable location for growth.

5.6.23 Policy SP8 in the local plan sets out a minimum requirement of 1,750 dwellings to be delivered in CRC during the plan period. These will be delivered through a mix of committed sites (those under construction or have planning permission but have not yet commenced) and allocations. Table 2 below sets out the housing position for CRC, which also includes the application of non-implementation or discount rates for planning permissions and allocations.

Table 2: Canal Road Corridor - Summary of Housing Requirement and Supply

*Includes New Bolton Woods which is partly under construction.

5.6.24 Once the commitments are discounted and removed from the supply this leaves a residual allocation requirement of 833 units. The evaluated total site supply of housing units from preferred allocation sites equates to 927 units which is in turn discounted by 10% for non- implementation or reduced delivery leaving a final allocation contribution of 834 units across all sites. The New Bolton Woods Site (CRC8/HC) has an approved hybrid planning application. This large site will be delivered in phases with initial phases already completed. It is therefore identified as a Housing Commitment (HC) site with remaining yield of 923 as future phases will require reserved matters to be approved. The Council will be supportive of additional proposals for new homes on additional small sites, particularly those that provide a redevelopment opportunity to bring forward land which has been previously used. Support will also be provided to developers who wish to redevelop larger sites and/or buildings for new homes not currently identified, subject to all relevant policies in the Local Plan.

5.6.25 The CRC is not constrained by Green Belt with brownfield and greenfield growth options available and identified. Seven further preferred option sites have been identified, comprised of four PDL and three greenfield sites. The Local Plan preferred site allocations for residential allocations to meet the CRC housing requirement are set out in Table A and identified on the Policies Map and the Site Proformas. Development of site allocations should be in accordance with specified development guidelines and approximate site provision figures and all other relevant policies of this Local Plan.

Planning for Places and Communities

Natural Landscape and Historic Character

5.6.26 Traditionally a mixed employment area, the Corridor developed out of its close proximity to the former Bradford Canal and the railway line. The CRC's heritage reflects that of a former industrial and employment area, set against the urban backdrop of the City of Bradford and the steep slopes surrounding Bolton Woods Quarry to the East of Canal Road, which give a more rural feel within the city. The CRC is focussed around Canal Road itself, which is a heavily trafficked highway.

5.6.27 The local area's defining natural and man-made landscape features are the flat linear form of the corridor alongside the Bradford Beck and adjacent green space and steep valley sides to the East of the Corridor around Bolton Woods Quarry. The area includes and is adjacent to a number of important heritage assets, including a number of Conservation Areas, historic parks and listed buildings. Within the CRC there are 5 statutory Listed Buildings. The settlement has no conservation area.

5.6.28 The former Bradford Canal previously ran for 3 miles through the CRC from the Leeds and Liverpool Canal at Shipley to the centre of Bradford. The Bradford Canal closed to navigation in 1922, but re-introduction of the Bradford Canal has been a long term ambition for the Council. The reopening of the Bradford canal is not considered economically feasible over the short to medium term, however, the plan includes provision to safeguard an alignment for proposed re-introduction of the Bradford Canal to enable its future provision.

Green Infrastructure, Ecology, Open Space and Flood Risk

5.6.29 The CRC is a key Green Infrastructure Corridor for the District and has a range of areas and spaces that contribute towards its Green and Blue Infrastructure. The Bradford Beck forms an important blue/green corridor and habitat highway running through the heart of the CRC. Other key Green and blue corridors, include the green corridor along Bolton Road to the south of the area, the greenspaces and recreation areas adjacent Canal Road including Gaisby Lane & King George Playing Fields. This is a linear flat area of open land running parallel to Bradford Beck, used for formal and informal recreation and playing fields. Also Brow Wood Crescent and Poplars Farm include areas of open land, which form part of an open space corridor.

5.6.30 The Council to undertook a Green Infrastructure (GI) Study to assess the existing and future potential of green infrastructure within the CRC. The GI Study (2014) puts forward a number of key Green Infrastructure interventions. These focus around the theme of ''The Linear Park' running from Bradford city centre to Shipley and cover interventions including re- naturalising the Bradford Beck, habitat highways, new parks and greenspaces and the Canal Road Greenway. The main GI corridors are detailed below in Figure 4.

Figure 4: Green Infrastructure Corridors

5.6.31 The area contains an Urban Wildlife Reserve at Boars Well and Poplars Farm (Bradford Wildlife Area) plus a wide range of ecologically important habitatsnetworks. The Ecological Study (2014) for the CRC area identified a number of key interventions including Canal Road (The Nectar Highway), the railway network including Frizinghall station and railway margins (The Butterfly Express) the Canal Road Greenway (The Greener Way) and Bolton Woods Quarry and Bolton Woods ecological corridor, including Boars Well (The Green Lungs of Bradford).

5.6.32 In regards to formal open space, the area currently benefits from large areas of public open space and playing fields running through the heart of the area, which provide recreational opportunities within the Corridor. This includes a number of sports and leisure facilities including Bolton Woods Junior Football Club and the King George V Playing Fields off Canal Road. The CRC has former of allotments which have been found to lie on contaminated ground and are no longer in active use. The CRC's location means that parts of area along the valley floor are at risk of river flooding from the Bradford Beck. There are areas of higher flood risk alongside the Bradford Beck in particular around the centre and northern parts of the CRC.

5.6.32 There are 41 sites identified as open space covering an area of around 58ha. The key sites within the CRC are:

• King George V Memorial Playing Fields
• Bradford Beck
• Red Beck Allotments
• Queens Road Allotments
• Bolton Hall Woodland.

5.6.33 Whilst the CRC has a positive amount of open space, there are some imbalance between the different typologies of open space that currently exist. Of particular note is the deficit of Parks and Gardens open space in this area, although there are other types of open space such as Amenity Greenspace and Outdoor Space which play a similar role and in part provides compensatory provision. Future opportunities to rebalance the different open space sites could see some of these spaces be developed into formal park space. Figure 5 illustrates the current open space provision in and on the edge of the area.

Figure 5: CRC - Open Space Overview

Community Infrastructure – Education, Health and Utilities

5.6.34 The CRC has limited community facilities to meet the day to day needs of local people due to the relatively small population in the area. These include a playground, local shops and various sporting facilities. The CRC is served by 1 primary school (Poplars Farm Primary School) and the closest secondary is in Manningham (Bradford Grammar and Oasis Academy Lister Park). Pupils attainment at key stage 1, 2 and 4 for average points is lower than both the national (England) and West Yorkshire averages.

5.6.35 There are no NHS registered healthcare facilities within the CRC. Secondary (acute) healthcare is provided at Bradford Royal Infirmary, around 2km to the West. Average life expectancy for CRC residents is 76 years for men and 80 years for women, which is below the West Yorkshire and England averages. Healthy life expectancy is 57 years for men and 56 years for women, which well below West Yorkshire and England averages. Figure 6 illustrates the location of schools and medical facilities which lie close to the boundary of the CRC area.

Figure 6: Schools & Medical Facilities in the CRC

5.6.36 When planning for the long-term development of Bradford North East, it is vital that new development is supported by the appropriate infrastructure. The capacity, quality and accessibility of services and facilities are all key components in ensuring people can enjoy living, working and visiting the area. The Council will continue work with key infrastructure providers and others including the Local Education Authority, Clinical Commissioning Group and utilities providers to determine the impacts of future growth and development on local infrastructure capacity and provision. Further infrastructure details will be published through the Local Infrastructure Plan and as part of the Regulation 19 stage of the local plan.

5.6.37 There is one former waste management facility located within in the area, the former Associated Waste Management site north of Frizinghall station. The. Associated Waste Management site was a materials recovery facility (MRF) within a central urban area, with good access to the Primary Road Network. The site was a very important component of Bradford's waste management infrastructure until recently. Further consideration is currently being taken to determine an appropriate use for this site which may be affected by proposed road improvements in the area.

5.6.38 Within the District there are certain sites and pipelines, designated by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) as hazardous installations because of the quantities of hazardous substances stored, used or transmitted. Within the are there is one hazardous installation (Transco PLC, Canal Road Holder Station) and a high pressure gas pipeline (Northern Gas Networks, Canal Road/Hartshead) around which the HSE have identified consultation zones.

(4) Consultation Question 94

Preferred Site Allocations and Site Pro Formas

5.6.39 The preferred housing site allocations are detailed below in Table A. This table is subsequently followed by site pro formas for each preferred site allocation proving a summary of key site information and characteristics.

Table A: Canal Road Corridor: Housing - Preferred Allocations

(1) Consultation Question 95