Planning inspector throws out appeal over housing plan on farm site

Last year Bradford Council refused a planning application by John Walker to convert a farm building at School Cote Farm, Brow Lane, Holmfield into three four-bedroom houses.

Planning officers said the access to the proposed houses, down a single-lane road, was “substandard.”

An appeal was lodged against that decision, pointing out that the road is also used by traffic to commercial premises further down the lane.

But a Government planning inspector has sided with the Council. Inspector Paul Cooper said: “I find the narrow single-track access road to be substandard in nature, with no passing places from the main highway junction to allow vehicles to pass safely.

“It is likely that there would be a significant amount of vehicular and pedestrian movements associated with the proposed three dwellings and given the lack of passing places and pedestrian footways for users, who would be forced to share the narrow access road with vehicles, which could be magnified if pedestrian users were utilising wheelchairs, or had children with pushchairs.

“As a result I find that the proposal would be detrimental to both highway and pedestrian safety.”

Although the site is near the border with Halifax it falls under the remit of Bradford Council.