In the sixth of a series of 27 articles analysing the key study into the availability of land in Bradford, DOLORES COWBURN looks in depth at the possibilities for housing sites in Bradford South East.
Industrial challenges surround the development of new homes in Bradford South East.
The total number of sites identified is 66 covering 107 hectares making up ten per cent of the new homes needed throughout the district.
The draft LDF document states that 6,000 houses are needed in the South East of the district, which is a shortfall of 2,094 from the identified amount of houses on the possible available amount of land. Wards that could be affected include Bowling and Barkerend, Wyke and Tong.
Councillor Imran Khan, who represents Bowling and Barkerend, said: "We are an inner city ward with industrial bits and the LDF does not make much difference to us because there are not that many more places in our ward to build. But there is a desperate shortage of homes in Bradford and we need more considerable homes with more people coming into the city."
The draft LDF statement says that some areas have challenges that need resolving before they can come for-ward for new homes.
They include those areas with existing local policy constraints including green-belt or sites with access or other challenges such as industrial. The document concedes that the "south eastern quadrant is probably the most industrial of all the settlements.
"These aside there is a good supply of sites which are already identified for housing use or which have planning approval, " the document adds.
"The two chemical works in this settlement also pose a major constraint on new homes delivery and may prohibit existing sites from being delivered in the short term, given risk factors as advised by the Health and Safety Executive.
"Overall sites in the settlement are a broad mix of both previously-developed land and greenfield, with a long term average over the 17-year period of 54 per cent, which is one of the highest in the district.
"Further opportunities may also become available from within the urban area which could make a further contribution to the settlements brownfield target in the short and medium term."
The sites could include a former primary school currently being used as a pupil referral unit on Avenue Road, West Bowling, a Greenfield site on Munster Street, Dudley Hill and a large industrial site on Sticker Lane.
A piece of land on Mill Lane, East Bowling which has a Tree Preservation order covering it and is also part of a flood zone is currently earmarked as unsuit-able, but is on the list.
Other sites include a former youth club on St Mary's Square and a car dealership with a small part in the flood zone on Mill Lane.
Tong Councillor Michael Johnson said that the LDF had to be looked at in conjunction with the Neighbourhood Development Plan for Holme Wood and Tong.
"That report is going to the executive in January, " he said.
"My concern is how do we make sure Holme Wood is sustain-able.
"But the next generation needs houses and I don't think they would thank me if we do not leave them with enough houses."
THE LONG-TERM LAND STRATEGY
The Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA) is a technical document which will provide a pool of sites from which to select land to be allocated for housing when preparing the Local Development Framework.
The Framework is a blueprint that will manage development and growth across the district over the next 15 years.
Consultation on it's core strategy document, which sets out a long-term spatial vision for the district until 2028, is continuing. It sets out broad locations for development and policies that will influence the use of land and the type and scale of development permitted, as well as identifying key infrastructure requirements.
The overall Local Development Framework is expected to come into effect in 2013 with consultation over specific land allocations taking place during 2012.
Sites included in the current SHLAA may not make it into the land allocations documents and final framework. In addition further potential sites could be identified as the assessment is updated every year.
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