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

Support

Representation ID: 29929

Received: 18/03/2021

Respondent: Diocese of Leeds

Agent: Bradley Stankler Planning

•Submission confirms the site promoters/landowners fully support the identification of the site as a housing allocation.
•It is in a highly sustainable location within the built-up area of Ilkley with access to public transport and the full range of the town's employment, education, leisure, shopping and supporting services all within walking distance.
•The site is the only Draft Local Plan allocation within the built-up area of Ilkley. All other proposed allocations require Green Belt boundary amendment. IL4/H is uniquely placed to make an important contribution to meeting the identified housing requirement in the short-term.
•Its development will help in fulfilling the intended role that Ilkley accommodates a significant additional growth and providing an important focal point for affordable housing and market housing needs as well as employment and associated community facilities.
•The site is an under-used parcel of land which is not of high environmental value. Its residential development will make effective use of land within the built-up area in full accords with the sequential hierarchy to site selection set out in Policy SP3 and the first priority to site selection.
•It is right that the Local Plan strategy is to focus growth within Bradford City, the Principal Towns and Local Growth Centres, with the best access to local facilities and services.
•It is clear that to meet the emerging spatial vision and objectives, and policies of the Council’s Core Strategy significant additional housing should be allocated within and around Ilkley, as an identified Principal Town and in view of the acknowledged constraints to accommodating growth in Bradford and the Principal Towns.
•This is a popular part of Bradford District in which to live, with good access to public transport and the full range of local facilities and schools. The allocation of site IL4/H for housing in the Local Plan will contribute to provision of a much needed, more balanced range and distribution of housing sites in the District than has hitherto been proposed, in accordance with Policy SP8.
•The site is located within the built-up area of Ilkley, an identified Principal Town;
•No technical reasons preventing the site making an early contribution to meeting housing requirements.
•The site is located within 400m of a bus stop with at least four services every hour, Skipton Road/Westville Road, and just beyond 800m of Ilkley railway station to the south east.
•The site has been the subject of pre-application discussions with Planning Officers. This has led to agreement on the principle of the site's residential development and no overriding constraints on its development have been identified. Access can be provided from the site frontage to Stockeld Road and heritage issues will be fully considered as part of the Planning Authority's assessment of a planning application.
•The site is; available now; and in a suitable location for housing development; and offers a realistic prospect to deliver housing within five years.