Homes plan refused close to famous Black Dyke Mill

An application to build six, three-bedroom houses on land off Vale Grove was submitted to Bradford Council by Julian Chancellor in September.

Fifteen people had objected to the plans, and this week planning officers refused the scheme for several reasons, including a lack of information about land contamination and the levels of the site.

Officers also raised concern about the increase of traffic the development would bring to Vale Grove, which is described as “substandard in terms of its width, surface condition, lighting, drainage and visibility at its junction with Brighouse Road.”

They also argued that car parking in front of the homes would “not relate well with the immediate area that is typified by low boundary walls and vegetation.

“The application fails therefore to demonstrate that the site can be developed without causing harm to the character and appearance of the street scene.”

Council Conservation office Jon Ackroyd had raised concerns that the houses would block an important view of listed Black Dyke Mills, saying: “The elevated site affords a panorama of the mill complex and landmark chimney. This illustrates the extent of the mills, its influential position at the heart of the village and how it continues to dominate the scale of the buildings around it. No comparable view of the mills is available from elsewhere.

“Development of this site would result in a loss of significance to local heritage and amenity.”

But planning officers advised against using this concern as a reason to refuse the application. They said: “There is also a public footpath running off to the west of the site which could provide similar vantage points.

“The proposed housing is set a significant distance from the actual mill complex such that it would not affect its setting. Given the established need for housing across the Bradford district a refusal on these grounds is not considered to be justified.”