WIBSEY residents have urged Council bosses to remove a green field from a list of assets it plans to sell to developers.

Earlier this year, Bradford Council revealed a list of 155 assets, including buildings and plots of land, that it aims to sell off as part of efforts to avoid bankruptcy.

One of these sites is a green space next to St Winifred's School in Wibsey, a site the Council has listed as possible “residential development land.”

A petition opposing the site’s inclusion was created, and has attracted over 90 signatures.

At a meeting of Bradford Council’s Executive on Wednesday, residents and a local Councillor presented the petition to the authority’s leaders, saying the land was not suitable for housing, and its sale could lead to the loss of important green space in the area.

Adele Boocock said the proposed access to the site, via Bowman Road, was inadequate for any housing development.

She pointed out that local Councillors had objected to the site’s possible inclusion in the Local Plan – a document that sets out future developments in the District.

The draft plan suggests this site could be used for housing.

She told Councillors: “The site is land locked, the proposed access is by Bowman Road, it is already narrow and couldn’t handle the amount of traffic this development would bring.

“The land is used by local people for recreation, dog walking, exercise and for children playing. There is lots of wildlife including foxes, birds and bats.”

She also raised concerns that any developments could impact the neighbouring school, and a public right of way through the site.

Councillor Sabiya Khan (Lab Wibsey) raised similar concerns, saying: “This is an urban green space that is well used by local people.”

Councillor Alex Ross Shaw, Executive for Regeneration, Planning and Transport, said: “I understand the strong depth of feeling residents have for this site. The local Councillors have been very proactive in flagging this site up as one that would cause concerns with its inclusion on the list.”

He pointed out that the land was included as a possible housing site in the Council’s draft Local Plan – which is still yet to be adopted.

He added: “The potential issues about this site are really matters for the purchasers. We’re engaging with agents to value the sites. We need to raise around £60m to meet our budget.”

Petitioners were told no decision on the asset sale list had yet been made, but that their concerns would be passed on to asset management officers and planners.