Council urged to halt planned sale of green belt land amid plans for huge development
Hallam Land is proposing to build a £155 million community on the green belt land off Westgate Hill Street, Tong, on just over 124 acres of land.
The plans include the development of up to 1,000 "new quality homes of a range of types, sizes and styles, including affordable homes".
They also include 95,000 square feet of employment, a primary school, as well as space for a neighbourhood centre which could be used for shops, pubs, bars, hot food takeaways or other commercial buildings.
Bradford Council said the sale of the land is yet to be agreed.
More than 1,000 people have now signed and submitted a petition to the Council demanding that the proposed sale be stopped immediately, the Council keeps ownership of the green belt land, and decisions like this are made in the open, with input from councillors and the public.
The petition was set up by Julia McGoldrick-Hayden, chair of the Tong and Fulneck Valley Association, and supported by Green Party councillors.
Councillor Matt Edwards, leader of the Green Party on Bradford Council, said: "The site is greenbelt for a reason.
"The Tong and Fulneck Valley is one of the last areas of green space between Leeds and Bradford - and these proposals will see vast areas of this green space lost forever.
"This is not the right place for new houses and we need to stop incentivising developers to build on our countryside - and get them to build where homes are actually needed. "Our community desperately needs new homes and there are vast swathes of land in nearby Holme Wood which are crying out for development.
"Once green belt is lost, it's lost forever.
"We need to keep it."
He added: "Bradford Council should be protecting our green spaces - not helping developers build over them, while ignoring the places where we really need new homes."
Councillors and campaigners have also raised concerns about the Council's ability to look at the planning application objectively - as if the sale process goes ahead, the authority could have a financial stake in the proposals being approved.
A Bradford Council spokesperson said: "The Council's land is part of a proposed housing allocation in the draft Local Plan and this would be the case irrespective of who owned it.
"The land forms part of a major residential-led mixed-use development proposal being promoted by strategic land promoter, Hallam Land Management, to which they have submitted a planning application. "The sale of the land has yet to be agreed.
"Local councillors were consulted and are fully aware of the details and how the Council's and taxpayers' interests are being protected through this process.
"The land owned by the Council is less than four per cent of the total scheme, which will go through the usual transparent planning process where local residents will be able to make comments on the application. "It is important to note that the role of the Council as local planning authority is a statutory function that sits independently from other Council services as is the case in other authorities across the country.
"All our planning applications are decided objectively, fairly and in accordance with established procedures to ensure transparency and accountability."
The Telegraph & Argus asked Hallam Land for a comment for this article, but no response was received.
However, a spokesperson from Hallam Land, part of Henry Boot, previously told the T&A: "Land off Westgate Hill is allocated for development in the City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council's draft Local Plan.
"Following consultation with the local community, we are proposing new housing with community facilities, shops, land for a new primary school, and workspace for new and growing businesses.
"Expansive green spaces including parks, sports, recreation and play space, walking and cycling routes, and woodland plantation with significant wildlife benefits will be provided to ensure an attractive and green setting for the development.
"The development will also provide financial contributions towards highway improvements, health, education and affordable homes."
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