Spawforths Views on the Bradford Core Strategy Intervention

Spawforths' Chairman, Dave Rolinson’s has provided his views on the Bradford Core Strategy intervention by the Planning Minister in the national magazine 'Planning'.

Gavin Barwell, the Planning Minister ordered the City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council earlier this month to take no further steps on the document until his officials had scrutinised the document following a request from Shipley MP Philip Davies over concerns regarding the release of green belt. A report published by the Inspector in September concluded that the Council had proposed to allocate land to meet its objectively assessed need over the plan period from 2013-2030 and that 11,000 homes are likely to be built on green belt land.

Rolinson said the late move by Barwell was disappointing and regularly intervention at this stage of the plan by the government will create uncertainty and delays for local authorities and the development industry. Rolinson goes on to say that “it is clear the scale of the objectively assessed need in Bradford necessitates green belt release, and this has been fully tested and supported by the Inspector”.

Interesting times for Bradford who have shown they can make difficult decisions to bring forward much needed development only for the Government to intervene at the last moment.