People living near the former Transperience Discovery Park are to be asked their views on the future of the site.

Planners believe the land is suitable for offices, industry, hotels or warehousing but they think the portion nearest homes should be restricted to offices or light industry. Businesses such as scrapyards are not deemed suitable.

The Discovery Park, which opened as a transport museum in 1995, closed this year after going into the hands of receivers.

The 16-acre site alongside was then sold for £1 million to Ogden Properties Ltd.

Now Bradford Council says it is going to consult local people in the Low Moor and Oakenshaw areas to ask them their views on what should or should not be developed in its place.

Coun Danny Mangham (Lab, Wyke) said it was important that local people were consulted.

Planners have drawn up a brief for the site in order to pre-empt any applications that may be submitted. They are keen to set priorities for the site because it is a 'windfall' site that came up unexpectedly.

The council says that any scheme put forward to redevelop the discovery park must satisfy the following guidelines:

l Buildings on site should be of a character and design that protect adjoining residential property

l Any redevelopment must not have an adverse effect on the transport corridor, "an important corridor seen by business people coming into the city from the Manchester direction."

l Redevelopment should not cause an increase in noise and should not have an adverse impact on the environment of the neighbouring area

In addition, planners are keen to see the route of the disused Spen Valley Railway Line intact in case plans to re-open it for 'heavy rail' get off the ground.

Councillor Jack Womersley (Lab, Queensberry) said: "A planning application could turn up any time and put us on the back foot.

"I hope the people of Low Moor will look carefully at this document and tell us what they want in that location."

Owners Ogden Properties Ltd have not yet revealed any plans for the land.

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