After extensive discussions, highways officials tell Persimmon to go back to the drawing board

A "more efficient" layout of the Wesley Place car park (pictured above) to replace lost parking spaces in congested Kirkgate (pictured below) was suggested in preliminary talks on the traffic impact of Persimmon's controversial plans to build 140 houses on the fields between Brown Bank Lane and Hawber Cote Lane. However, Britain's biggest house-builder subsequently dropped the proposal, which was designed to offset increased congestion arising from its new housing estate. In addition, Bradford council's highways development controllers have drawn attention to more than 20 examples where the proposed layout of the estate does not meet current standards or requirements. 

After extensive discussions with Persimmon (pre-tax profit £966.8 million last year), the council's engineers comment: "We would not be able to support this proposal as submitted in its current form and revised plans and/or additional information is required." Among disputed issues is Persimmon's calculations of the likely number of extra cars coming through Silsden. Another is a one-way route (preferred by the council) for cars and pedestrians from Hawber Cote Lane into the housing estate. Persimmon has downgraded it to a link just for pedestrians/cyclists.   

The present plan is for 140 homes at Brown Bank but Town Council says Persimmon 'intends to build 290' by 2030

Strongly objecting to plans by Persimmon, the UK's biggest house-builder, to put 140 homes on the fields between Brown Bank Lane (pictured above) and Hawber Cote Lane, Silsden Town Council points out that a transport assessment shows the company (pre-tax profit £966.8 million last year) "intends to build 290 by 2030."

Persimmon is asking Bradford council for permission to build 140 houses on the land edged in red on the map below. The company also controls the much larger area of adjoining farmland edged in blue. Silsden council refers to a "scoping study," one of seven transport assessments by Persimmon's experts, which indicates that those 140 homes would be completed by 2026 with a further 150 homes being built in the following four years on the larger, blue-edged area, some of which is pictured above (looking towards Brown Bank Lane).

The current scheme for 140 homes has caused immense controversy. At the last count, 621 people had had their say on Bradford council's online planning portal, where Persimmon's plans and supporting documents, plus other studies and criticisms, can be viewed. Opposition to the destruction of the tranquil area's hedges, trees, flora and fauna and footpaths, has been spearheaded by Silsden's Campaign for the Countryside, whose co-founder Caroline Whitaker, won an historic victory in the Bradford council elections on May 5th (see my following post).  

Green Party's countryside campaigner Caroline Whitaker captures Craven Ward seat from the Tories

The Green Party's Caroline Whitaker, pictured above, toppled the Tories to win a local seat at City Hall in the Bradford district council elections on May 5th. With 2,713 votes, Caroline had a majority of 213 over Tory Councillor Rebecca Whitaker, who was seeking re-election. Caroline, who lives in Silsden, is well-known as a community activist for Green causes. She also co-founded four years ago the Silsden Campaign for the Countryside, which opposes plans to build houses on the fields between Brown Bank Lane and Hawber Cote. The threats to Silsden from over-development were a major issue raised with Caroline by voters. Caroline is pictured, after her victory, in the fields she has pledged to defend.