Councillors have criticised Bradford Council after discovering that rights to access the site of a controversial Silsden housing development were granted for a nominal sum of £1.
Airedale ward councillors Raph Con, George Buckley and Peter Kirk have raised concerns over land between Silsden Primary School and Aireville Crescent, close to the proposed development at Drabble House Farm. Plans by Newett Homes to build 72 properties on the site were approved by Bradford Council earlier this year, despite almost 400 objections. Only a small section of the development site is within the Green Belt. Questions over access to the development have continued since planning permission was granted. Former councillors previously argued that a strip of land owned by Bradford Council could potentially prevent the development from going ahead by denying the developer access. However, the current Airedale councillors say subsequent enquiries have established that covenants were granted when land for the neighbouring school was acquired. According to the councillors, those rights allow the current or future owners of the Drabble House Farm site to build a roadway and install utilities across the council-owned land. They say this means Bradford Council would not need to sell the strip of land to the developer to provide access. The councillors have criticised the fact that the rights were granted for what they say was a nominal £1 payment and argue the council missed an opportunity to secure more money from the agreement. Cllr Raph Con said: “We were shocked to discover that Bradford Council gave away rights of such significant value for essentially nothing. “This represents a huge missed opportunity to raise funds on a valuable set of covenants. “We intend to raise our frustrations with the Council and ask how these rights were given away for free.” Concerns about access to Drabble House Farm are not new. Minutes from Silsden Town Council in 2023 recorded questions about ownership of the proposed access and its suitability for a development of 72 homes. The councillors also remain concerned about road safety, particularly around the proposed junction at the end of Middleway and its proximity to Silsden Primary School. Cllr George Buckley said: “We remain concerned about the road safety implications of this development, especially so close to the school. “We will continue to monitor progress and hold the developer's feet to the fire to ensure the best possible outcome for existing residents.” Cllr Peter Kirk also raised concerns about the cumulative impact of housebuilding on Silsden's infrastructure. He said: “Infrastructure and services are at breaking point in Silsden and the wider area, largely due to the hundreds of new houses we have seen in the last few years with no additional capacity to deal with increases in demand. “We know all too well about the traffic congestion at Clog Bridge and the impact this has further down Keighley Road. “We fear that this development will only add to the problems we already face.” The Drabble House Farm development has previously attracted opposition over traffic, the impact on the neighbouring Brunthwaite Conservation Area and the loss of open land. When approving the application, planning officers concluded that the development would cause “less than substantial harm” to the conservation area. Bradford Council has been approached for a response.
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