HOUSING developers will likely have to pay £1 million to boost local schools as a condition of building one of Bradford's biggest proposed housing developments.

Controversial plans to build up to 600 homes on the site of Fagley Quarry and neighbouring fields were given the go ahead in early 2015. And next week Bradford Council will decide whether to approve more detailed plans for the site - with the house numbers now totalling 589.

The plans had proved hugely controversial when they were first announced, and the outline planning application attracted over 630 objections and two petitions signed by hundreds of people.

But despite concerns over a loss of green land, increased traffic and pressure on local services, the plans were approved, with council officers saying new housing was needed in the district, and that if it wasn't built on previously developed sites like the quarry, it may have to be built on Greenbelt land.

More detailed plans for the site were revealed to residents last July, but planning applications were not submitted until earlier this year.

The plans will see two, three and four bed houses built on the site, with the site of the quarry forming a large area of public open space.

On Wednesday Bradford Council's Regulatory and Appeals Committee will decide whether to approve the final plans, which have been split into two applications - for 311 houses and 278 houses.

Although the principal of building hundreds of homes on the site have already been approved, the council has still received 27 objections to the detailed applications.

The scheme has been submitted by housebuilders Barratt Homes and Keepmoat homes, in partnership with Hard York Quarries Llp, Frank William Marshall, William Ross Marshall, James Ernest Marshall and Mark Andrew O’Brien.

When outline plans were approved, one condition imposed on the developers was that they pay £1 million for local infrastructure improvements. At the time is was said this money would either be spent on plans to make road improvements to the junction of New Line and Harrogate Road at Greengates, or to go towards increasing capacity at local schools within the vicinity of the site.

A report by planning officers that will be discussed at the meeting reveals that the money will go to schools, adding: "As the monies for the improvements to the Greengates junction have been secured through another permission, the money will now be spent on educational infrastructure improvements."

One objection letter sent to the council says: "There is nothing to create a community, no shop, pub, community centre, park, green spaces etc. This means to go to the shops, doctors or other visits cars will be used putting pressure on surrounding roads and increasing traffic hazards near existing schools"

Planning officers have responded: "Unfortunately the issues of doctors/dentists being full is not a material planning consideration and they will generally respond to demand in regard to providing additional spaces."

Another objector has pointed out that there are already empty homes in the BD2 area, claiming new houses are not needed.

The housing developers last year said the total build could take six years.

The committee will discuss the applications at a meeting in City Hall at 10am next Wednesday.