Council responds to claims housing allocation was ‘unfair’

BRADFORD Council has hit back at claims that the allocation of social housing in a new development was “unfair”.

Concerns have been raised about how homes on Spen View Lane in Bierley have been allocated, with residents claiming local people are missing out.

However, the council said all applicants nominated for the scheme were “experiencing homelessness and were in the highest priority category for relocation” and also “had a local connection to the Bradford borough”.

The new development on Spen View Lane in Bierley (Image: Newsquest)

The controversial application for 82 homes at the former Lockwood Farm field was approved in October 2021 despite widespread opposition from residents.

So far, 33 homes at the Bierley development, run by Sage Homes, have been allocated to residents by the local authority, with the remaining 49 homes due to be ready later in the year.

Work on the new development on Spen View Lane in Bierley is almost complete (Image: Newsquest)

One resident said: “A lot of people are losing their homes and people need a home.

“We’ve lost new land, and it was originally built as a development for local people, but now there’s no opportunity for them to move into it. It’s unfair.”

“It’s quite a shame,” said another Bradford resident. “There are a lot of locals on the housing list.

Work on the new development on Spen View Lane in Bierley is almost complete (Image: Newsquest)

“Some of them have had to wait two years on the housing list and there won’t be any of them living there.

“It’s shameful,” she said. “We worked with families in Bierley and Holme Wood.

“They should think about them.”

Work on the new development on Spen View Lane in Bierley is almost complete (Image: Newsquest)

Councilor Matt Edwards (Tong, Green) said: “Everyone deserves a safe and warm place to live.

“As a ward councillor, I speak to far too many people with housing problems.

“Some are at risk of homelessness, others are living in housing that is simply not suitable. I even talk to families who live in one bedroom apartments. It’s heartbreaking.

“Bradford green councilors have tried to get our council to accept that there is a housing crisis – there is not enough good quality housing for the people who need it and the waiting list for what would have been a ‘council house’ it’s way too long. . In some cases, we are talking about two or three years.

“When this development was proposed, the people of Bierley were told it would help solve the housing shortage.

“The fact that locals are finding it so hard to bid on even these new homes feels like a kick in the teeth.

“Green Party councilors in Tong Ward have contacted Sage Housing to try to resolve this and we are still awaiting a response.”

A spokesperson for Sage Homes told the Telegraph & Argus: “As England’s largest provider of affordable new homes, Sage Homes is proud to work in partnership with local authorities to provide homes for people on the lists their waiting.

“Bradford Council carefully assesses housing need and is responsible for allocating homes to residents on that basis.”

Councilor Alex Ross-Shaw, Bradford Council’s executive member for regeneration, planning and transport said: “We have long said that there is a housing crisis across the country and Bradford is not immune to it.

“We need more good homes in the right places and no single development will solve that.

“We also need better quality homes from what already exists and our housing standards team does excellent work helping to improve over 1,000 homes a year.

“In this development the properties are not ‘council houses’.

“Our Housing Options team, who help get people into housing from all social housing providers, have ensured that all applicants nominated to the scheme in Bierley are experiencing homelessness and are in the highest priority category for rehousing.

“The registered provider confirmed that all successful applicants had a local connection to Bradford Borough.

“We will continue to work effectively with registered providers to allocate accommodation to disadvantaged homeless applicants, but the sad truth is that the demand for quality homes is very high.”