Fight is on again to stop industrial park

11:42am Friday 5th September 2008

Comments (0)   Have your say »

Furious residents have vowed to fight plans for an industrial park next to their quiet residential street - for the fourth time.

Neighbours in Castlefields Lane, Crossflatts, object to plans for eight industrial units, car parking spaces and an access road on woodland behind their homes.

Outline planning permission was granted for the units in 1999 but had to be resubmitted in 2005 and 2006. On both occasions the plans were withdrawn.

This time residents were invited by property consultants Benjamin Bentley and Partners, of Salem Street, Bradford, to a preview of the plans which were submitted to Bradford Council on Friday.

Residents now believe if the development went ahead it would decrease the value on their property, put their children's safety at jeopardy and increase the risk of flooding.

Mother-of-two Carolyn Blax-all, 42, said: "This area has flooded where they plan to build. The copse acted as a spill-over area - basically the drains can't cope as it is."

A letter inviting residents to the preview meeting said a flood risk assessment and an ecology survey had "concluded that habitats on the site do not present any constraints to development and a tree survey has reached a similar conclusion".

But residents fear the development could have a detrimental effect on their health as well as wildlife in the 0.65 hectare site.

Kate Johnson, 44, described the copse as a "lung for our area".

"We have got a lot of wildlife which use this area, in particular we have newts and a badger has been seen in the area, in addition to numerous sorts of wildlife.

"But the main point is that it absorbs so much water.

"We have had repeated flooding and it's absolutely ridiculous, I think, to consider building on the land when it offers protection on so many levels."

Kathleen Smith, 37, and her husband moved to the area two years ago. She said: "One of the reasons we moved down here was because of how quiet it was. We lived on a main road before so we moved down here for the children, so they could play out without having to worry about cars coming down.

"If all this goes ahead there will be hundreds of cars and wagons coming up and down this little street."

A Bradford Council spokesman said: "An application has been submitted for land at Castlefields Lane.

"However, the application is not yet valid and won't be publicised until it is. At that stage local residents will have an opportunity to comment on the proposals."

Benjamin Bentley and Partners was unavailable for comment.