Two councillors have been taken to task for suggesting a new town could be created in the south of Bradford to tackle the housing shortage.

Independents Adrian Naylor and Anne Hawkesworth, whose wards cover largely rural areas, have been accused by one critic of “living on a different planet”. Coun Hawkesworth (Ilkley) believed brownfield land to the south of the city could be “the obvious direction” to look for a new town for West Yorkshire, while Coun Naylor (Craven) argued building new towns would enable large scale development with new appropriate infrastructure, such as new schools.

Coun Hawkesworth also said an area close to where the M606 and M62 meet would be suitable. The area, which includes Oakenshaw, is on the boundary of the Bradford and Kirklees authorities. But the proposal has been ridiculed by the leaders of the three main groups on Bradford Council and ward councillors in Wyke.

Coun Glen Miller, leader of the Conservative group in Bradford, said there was no need for a new town.

“It seems very strange that two Independent, Wharfedale councillors, one representing Craven and one representing Ilkley, want any new housing to be so far away from their area. If houses are to be built, they need to be built where residents want to live in them.

“We need to make sure housing is built where it is needed.”

He added: “It just shows what planet they are on – I sometimes think they are on planet Uranus.”

Liberal Democrat leader Jeanette Sunderland said: “When Coun Hawkesworth was portfolio holder, there was a serious suggestion that what works is a small-size market town with speciality shops, pubs, restaurants, like Addingham, Silsden and Ilkley – and they work and survive.

“We could put them where they work, but away from the city conurbation and further up the Aire Valley – that is a proposal we would support.

“Banging them alongside the motorway, and where our industry is, is not the answer. This is nothing more than a political gesture by a couple of NIMBYs.” Councillor David Green, leader of the Labour-run Council, said he was surprised to hear about the proposals, adding that the area suggested by the two councillors was “as far away from their area as possible. I think people will draw their own conclusions.”

Councillor Sarah Ferriby (Lab, Wyke) said she was “flabbergasted” to be told of the proposals. She said: “If they think they can show me a piece of land where we can put houses, I would like them to show us.”

Explaining his suggestion, Coun Naylor said: “Up to now the focus has been developing local plans and finding sites for building either on brownfield sites or on new greenfield or green belt sites.
 

“This piecemeal approach is both costly and inefficient and does nothing to stimulate large scale building which is after all what the Government wants.
 

“What it does do is put additional strain on existing infrastructure with a vague promise of new infrastructure at some vague future time when the houses are built.”