THERE have long been concerns that the increasing number of housing developments – particularly in smaller towns and villages in the district – is putting too much pressure on local infrastructure, including schools.

Those fears appear to have been confirmed as Bradford Council is set to look at ways of increasing school places in certain areas at a meeting next week. It will be considering merging some schools and increasing the size of others in Cottingley, Silsden and Greengates.

And with other large developments under way in other parts of the district, and more in the pipeline, it seems the time has come to ensure schooling provision is adequate when granting permission.

PLANS TO EASE PRESSURE ON SOME SCHOOL ROLLS SET TO BE AGREED BY BRADFORD COUNCILLORS

If not, then the suggestion from Cllr Jeanette Sunderland that developments should not be allowed without a primary school being included would seem to have a lot of merit.

The demand for housing in rural areas is feeding the increased number of homes being built, and it is clearly causing increased pressure on small village schools, which are suddenly finding themselves with an ever-increasing intake.

That means larger class sizes in some cases and disappointment for parents in others because they will have to send their children to second or third choice schools.

It is time that much more thought was given to the long-term impact of these developments, and where it will be as significant as this, then the developers must play their part in first improving the infrastructure, with schools having to be very high on that list of priorities.