COUNCILLORS will this week decide on controversial plans for a new car park at a primary school in Oakenshaw.

But members of the planning committee will be told that some of the objections to the plans are actually related to a linked application in Kirklees.

Bradford Council’s Regulatory and Appeals Committee are discussing the plan for a car park opposite Woodlands CE Primary school at an online meeting on Thursday.

The development would see a car park with 20 parking spaces, three electric vehicle charging spaces and two drop off zones, with access from Mill Carr Hill Road.

Members will hear that 14 people have objected to the plans, including the school’s headteacher, but a report to the Committee advises that members approve the plans.

The car park is being built as a mitigation measure, needed due to the redevelopment of North Bierley Waste Water Treatment Works. That site, which is just across the Bradford border in Kirklees, is being transformed into an industrial park, which will be known as Interchange 26.

Judith Cummins MP objects to Interchange 26 industrial park access

Detailed plans for that scheme are being considered by Kirklees Council, and have already attracted objections from several groups, including Councillors and Bradford South MP Judith Cummins.

The access to the site will be a short distance from the primary school, and so the new car park is being built by the developer, Interchange 26 LLP, to make traffic around the school safer.

Outline permission for the car park was granted by Bradford Council in 2018, but the new application is a more detailed scheme.

Among the objectors to the car park plan is school head Karen Webster.

She wrote to the Council to say: “The location is putting the safety of my pupils and their families at risk as they will be forced to cross a road which will have new layout and a blind bend just metres away.

“The car park plan shows it to contain approximately 20 spaces, we have 111 pupils on roll and two independent surveys of school traffic showed an average of 50 cars requiring parking.

“My own school staff car park cannot hold all of my staff cars currently either.

“The school and Trust (BDAT) have made several attempts to discuss a different and safer location next to the school which would alleviate most of these issues and concerns. We have made contact with the owner of the land who is prepared to consider this. I oppose this development along with my staff and governing body on the safety grounds of my school community.”

A report to the committee says many of the objections relate to plans that have already been approved in outline stages, or the industrial development in Kirklees.

It says: “A significant number of the objections raised relate to issues that are not relevant to this application in that they don’t refer to the details that are being submitted for consideration and relate to the principle of development, highway safety, drainage, biodiversity, and, the associated development within the Kirklees Council area.

“The design of the proposal is considered to be acceptable and presents no concerns with regard to visual or residential amenity and highway safety.”