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

Support

Representation ID: 17288

Received: 22/03/2021

Respondent: The Great Northern Railway Trail Development Group

Policy support for sustainable travel needs to demonstrate a positive strategy by developing a cycle network across Bradford District, backed by an investment and delivery programme. Also, schemes for residential development by the private sector need to demonstrate something more than just providing battery chargers within dwellings.
Also, our experience is that the Council is not making use of opportunities to connect new housing schemes to cycle routes, such as the Great Northern Railway Trail. The importance of the National Cycle Network needs to be recognised within Bradford District. There are groups and organisations that can brief Council planning officers on the importance of active travel so that better understanding and connection is made so that new schemes reflect planning policy in practice.

Support

Representation ID: 17289

Received: 22/03/2021

Respondent: The Great Northern Railway Trail Development Group

Off-road cycleways, using former railway lines, are green corridors that form wildlife habitats for many species, not just parks and woodlands. These can contribute to biodiversity. We ask that former railway lines, such as the Great Northern Railway Trail, be included in the range of places where green infrastructure is to be protected. In this corridor, wildlife is flourishing, thanks to the support of the Bradford Urban Wildlife Group. This green linear corridor can also link other existing green spaces.
This policy refers in part to ‘ensuring that where opportunities exist, the scheme connects to the existing walking and cycling networks and greenways’.
From our experience these opportunities have not been recognised nor sufficiently pursued by Bradford Council officers, even with our intervention as a formal consultee to planning applications.

Support

Representation ID: 17290

Received: 22/03/2021

Respondent: The Great Northern Railway Trail Development Group

The Trail largely lies within the Zone C. Part of the policy states:
‘The South Pennine Moors SPD sets out a strategic mitigation scheme and a mechanism for the calculation of the financial contributions to mitigate recreational impacts on the SPA and SAC as a consequence of housing growth and subsequent population increases. The mitigation may be:
that the developer elects to offer, either on-site and / or deliverable outside the boundary of the development site, such as the provision of accessible natural greenspace and/or other appropriate measures; or in the form of a financial contribution from the developer’…
We ask that Bradford Council identifies the Great Northern Railway Trail as an opportunity to increase the amount of greenspace as a mitigation measure for schemes that come under this policy. This project needs to be registered as part of a mitigation management scheme. So far, it has been overlooked.

Support

Representation ID: 17291

Received: 22/03/2021

Respondent: The Great Northern Railway Trail Development Group

We particularly support that part of the policy as follows:
‘Providing a well-connected network of attractive green routes and spaces that are safe and easy to use and move around for all members of the community’.
This is something we have endeavoured to do for many years.
Our experience is that cycleway routes such as ours are seen by developers as a liability, as something that needs to be provided as part of a planning obligation. We have had to impress Bradford’s planners as well of the importance of sustainable travel. There is a need for an improved understanding of good design from planned layouts to detailed matters so as to integrate a cycleway with new housing schemes.

Support

Representation ID: 17292

Received: 22/03/2021

Respondent: The Great Northern Railway Trail Development Group

This strengthens existing planning policy. However, our experience over twenty years is that approved policy is not followed through when planning schemes are submitted or when funding and legal support is required to create community opportunities for off-road cycleways.
Professional design skills are needed in the planning department by creating a post to ensure that such policies can be made meaningful in practice otherwise the status quo will continue.

Comment

Representation ID: 17293

Received: 22/03/2021

Respondent: The Great Northern Railway Trail Development Group

We support this policy, if it sets up mechanisms for proper engagement with groups and organisations that hold skills and experience to help Bradford Council work better to achieving objectives, rather than doing this on their own.
Our experience of working together does not reflect the reality. This is not just about talking to achieve understanding but followed up by joint commitments to achieve common objectives.
Polices can be paper exercises that do not really mean much unless attitudes change to work better with groups such as ours.

Support

Representation ID: 17294

Received: 22/03/2021

Respondent: The Great Northern Railway Trail Development Group

However, the lack of commitment by Bradford Council to the Trail can be shown when it decided in 2012 to end its partnership with the GNRT Forum. After nine years, it is still a struggle to get positive, decisive action. This is an example where, despite existing policies and strategies, there is a lack of financial resources for sustainable active travel, meaning that cycle route development is not happening.
We seek a commitment from, and leadership by, Bradford Council to work with the WYCA to deliver those resources and so build a cycle network that will create many economic and health benefits for the people of the District.
It is not possible for voluntary group to deliver capital projects that are best carried out by Bradford Council. Our group has been pioneering sustainable travel through the development of off-road cycling and walking and promoting the vision for the Trail along with our partners.
Please note the error in the naming of the Trail. Rather than the Great Northern Rail Trail, it should read the Great Northern Railway Trail.

Support

Representation ID: 17295

Received: 22/03/2021

Respondent: The Great Northern Railway Trail Development Group

However, it will be down to the skill, knowledge and understanding of planners on getting to grips with the details regarding sustainable development that will either make or break any attempt by Bradford Council to change the attitude of house builders and further this approach.

Support

Representation ID: 17296

Received: 22/03/2021

Respondent: The Great Northern Railway Trail Development Group

The Great Northern Railway Trail (GNRT) is in a tourist hotspot regarding the Bronte and railway heritage. The Bronte literary heritage caters for many visitors to the area. Both Haworth and Thornton hold strong connections with the Brontes. The GNRT already links Thornton, and the progression of the route will ensure that Haworth is also connected to provide another opportunity to encourage active travel.
The railway heritage is also strong in this Bronte country and our Trail, running along a former railway line, complements the existing Keighley and Worth Valley Railway and other railway attractions in the Keighley area.

Comment

Representation ID: 17297

Received: 22/03/2021

Respondent: The Great Northern Railway Trail Development Group

Part of the Local Area Strategy states:
‘Continue to protect the route of the former Great Northern Railway for future sustainable transport
modes such as walking and cycling’.
Suggested statement:
‘Continue to protect the route of the Great Northern Railway Trail for cycling, walking and horse riding within this former railway line, as part of the National Cycle Network’.