Ilkley residents rally over 256-home Green Belt plan
Residents are distributing leaflets across Ilkley as the deadline approaches for public feedback on Bradford Council’s latest Local Plan, which includes proposals for more than 250 homes on Green Belt land at Hadfield Farm, off Skipton Road.
A group of residents living to the west of Ilkley are urging the local community to make their voices heard over plans to allocate the Hadfield Farm site for housing development.
The site is one of four locations in Ilkley identified for potential housing development in Bradford Council’s Local Plan, which sets out proposals for growth across the district up to 2043.
Residents have printed a door-to-door leaflet highlighting concerns about the proposed development and have been distributing copies around Ilkley ahead of the consultation deadline.
The campaign follows Bradford Council Executive’s approval last month of the latest draft Local Plan for public consultation.
Hadfield Farm is a newly introduced site, with residents pointing out that it was not included in earlier consultations. They say the current consultation therefore represents the opportunity for the community to comment on the proposal.
The leaflet highlights four key points, all drawn from Bradford Council’s own planning documents:
256 homes on Green Belt land: The proposal would see housing built on fields at Hadfield Farm, off Skipton Road.
Impact on heritage: The council’s site assessment states that the likely harm to Hollin Hall farmhouse would be “of an unacceptable level”.
Flood risk: Part of the proposed site is at risk of river flooding, with the council identifying the need for further flood modelling.
Impact on Skipton Road: Three new junctions are proposed onto Skipton Road, Ilkley’s only road west.
Andy Willers, a west Ilkley resident said: "Hadfield Farm was added to the plan at this stage, so nobody in Ilkley has had an earlier chance to comment on it. The council's own documents find unacceptable harm to Hollin Hall farmhouse, flood modelling still to be done, and three new junctions onto Skipton Road, which is Ilkley's only road west. We're not asking anyone to take our word for it. We want people to read what the council has published and respond in their own words before 5pm on 30 November."
The residents’ campaign website, hadfieldfarm.org.uk, provides information about the proposals and helps people prepare consultation responses in their own words.
Since the website went live on 22 October, more than 200 letters have been drafted through the page. Residents are now stepping up their efforts to encourage as many people as possible to take part before the consultation closes.
The deadline for responses is 5pm on Monday 30 November 2026.
Anyone wishing to comment can email Bradford Council directly at planning.policy@bradford.gov.uk. Responses must include the respondent’s name and address.
