CONCERNED residents living in a rural Bradford spot are gearing up to fight a fresh battle against developers’ plans to build new homes.

There are fears the area around Bierley won’t be able to cope with the scale of development in the area in the coming years.

Back in 2018, plans to build 116 houses on Lockwood Farm on Spen View Lane, Bierley, were approved - despite a huge swell of objection.

Although committee members raised concerns about the proposed development’s impact on local schools, roads, and even worries about possible mine shafts on the site, they said there was no planning reason to refuse the scheme, and if they did the applicant would likely win any appeal.

The application was submitted by John and Norma Brooksbank/ Driver Blackshaw Holdings and Mrs N. Driver, but was later withdrawn.

Now a Freedom of Information request to Bradford Council has revealed two developers, Keepmoat and Countryside UK, have submitted pre-application enquiries to each build 72 homes on the site - an increase on the original application.

The number of homes Keepmoat is proposing appears to have slightly reduced following initial enquiries, but it’s expected the details will become clear once the planning application is lodged with Bradford Council.

In December, an agent working on behalf of the company wrote to residents living near the site asking for feedback on a “proposed residential development of 67 dwellings”.

It said: “My client is currently preparing a planning application for the residential development of land off Spen View Lane, forming the southern field of Lockwood Farm.

“Vehicular access to the new development is proposed from Spen View Lane itself and a formal footpath is proposed along the entire frontage of the development.

“The proposed development will provide a range of three and four-bedroom homes for both open market sale and affordable housing.”

Suzette Soane, who lives on Shetcliffe Lane, said: “I know a lot of our neighbours are really concerned by all the planned developments of houses along Shetcliffe Lane as well as the crematorium.

“This is going to have a big impact on environment here. The road is already extremely busy and dangerous road and this will make it so much worse.”

Matt Edwards, Green Party campaigner for the area, said “This is one of the last rural bits round here and it would be such a shame to lose it when there are so many places around Bradford South you could build houses without building on fields.”

He added: “I have been speaking to residents living in the southern part of Bierley and people are feeling overwhelmed by the sheer volume of developments on the cards for the fields around Shetcliffe Lane.

“We have 140 plus housing planned for Lockwood Farm, the crematorium a bit further along and more houses at the old playing field of St John’s Primary School.

“Shetcliffe Lane is only a narrow country lane and it won’t be able to cope with the volume of traffic proposed.

“The junctions at either end – Tong Street and Bierley Lane are already bad at rush hour.”