A DISTRICT councillor has slammed Bradford Council’s “raid on Addingham’s green belt”.

The Council is currently consulting on its Local Plan which has identified six sites in Addingham for the building of 175 new homes. Five of the sites are in the green belt.

In its Neighbourhood Plan Addingham had set out a policy of small “in fill” housing sites to fit in with the character of the village rather than having large housing estates and invading the green belt.

Councillor Adrian Naylor (Ind, Craven) said: “Bradford are currently consulting on these new proposals for housing numbers up to 2038. I would encourage everyone to have a look at Bradford’s website and make whatever comments you wish in the short time available at https://www.bradford.gov.uk/planning-and-building-control/planning-policy/emerging-local-plan/l. The consultation timescale is a very short one and closes on March 24.

“Addingham has seen an increase in the proposed housing numbers from 75 in the Partial Review suggested by Bradford in 2019 to 175 today, whilst other larger population centres such as Ilkley which is a principle town, has seen a reduction in its housing numbers down from 500 in the Partial Review to 300 for the period 2020-2038. This appears to be at odds with the strategy adopted in the 2019 Partial Review which argued that Addingham does not have the infrastructure, transport links or the available sites compared to a principal town like Ilkley with its railway station and bus station. In order to achieve the 175 houses Bradford have taken the unusual step of identifying six sites in Addingham five of which are in Green Belt rather than taking the approach set out in Addingham’s Neighbourhood Plan. A large housing estate as proposed in Addingham will alter the character of the village irreparably and given Addingham’s location adjacent to the protected habitats on the Moor it seems madness to over develop the village whilst at the same time reducing housing in Ilkley which has the capacity to take this additional housing as it was originally proposed in the 2019 Partial Review.

“Due to Covid their will not be hardcopies of the proposed new plan so I strongly encourage people to go to Bradford’s website and engage in the consultation as the deadline is approaching.”