FAQs

A Development Framework is an illustrative, visionary presentation of what a place could look like in the future.  It identifies and brings together specific opportunities for development and showcases how they might look, alongside what would be required to make that development happen.  By showing how opportunities can work together the aim is to maximise their benefit.

A Development Framework has sufficient flexibility to be able to respond to changing market conditions as well as new issues and opportunities that come forward.  A Development Framework will consider in more detail how investment can be funded, delivered and implemented.

A masterplan is more detailed and focusses on specific opportunities that are currently known about.    

Both aim to encourage long term investment in an area, inform potential uses within key sites and support the revival of places.  Both also help show local people what high quality development could look like and how it could come forward, including investment in local infrastructure such as green spaces and transport.

A Development Framework looks at a place comprehensively to build on its existing strengths. It is underpinned by site visits, detailed market analysis and stakeholder engagement to get under the skin of a place.  

The Development Framework is not a planning application.

Whilst the frameworks aim to guide development opportunities these need to be viewed in the context of the existing statutory development plan and emerging local plan.

The statutory development plan for Bradford District consists of the adopted Core Strategy DPD, Bradford City Centre Area Action Plan, Shipley and Canal Road Area Action Plan and Waste Management DPD (all 2017) as well as the “saved” policies from the Bradford Replacement Unitary Development Plan (2005) and adopted Neighbourhood Development Plans. Alongside national planning policy and other material considerations, it is used to make decisions on planning applications. 

The emerging Bradford District Local Plan will replace the 2017 documents in due course (see below).

Upon adoption, the Local Plan will form the statutory planning framework for the Bradford District. A key element of this is to provide the strategic policy framework and land use allocations for all new developments and supporting infrastructure. The Local Plan is, therefore, the primary consideration in the determination of planning applications and a key consideration in shaping wider Council strategy.  

The Development Framework may look beyond the plan period at the longer term regeneration aspirations for the area.

Neighbourhood Development Plans (NDPs) are planning policy documents prepared by local communities and set out a framework to help manage growth and development in their area. They may cover a range of issues such as design standards, protection of open spaces and community facilities, heritage and infrastructure. 

Although NDPs are not compulsory, where a community has chosen to prepare one, they must be prepared in accordance with the statutory Regulations governing the NDP process and following a local referendum, should there be a positive outcome, they can be adopted by the Council as part of the statutory development plan for the District and used in the decision making planning process alongside the Local Plan.  Parish, Town and Village Councils along with established Neighbourhood Forums can apply to the Council for their area to be recognised as a Neighbourhood Area for the purpose of preparing an NDP.

Delivery of the ideas/concepts within the Development Framework will have to align and work within the constraints of any adopted development plan including NDPs. Communities may also find the Development Frameworks in developing the evidence base of NDPs.

This Development Framework will cover the parliamentary constituencies of Bradford South, Bradford East and Bradford West.  Together they account for the main urban part of the city.  The area includes the city centre, plus key regeneration sites such as the area identified for a new through station near the St James wholesale market.

Alongside the City of Bradford Development Framework, we are also creating Development Frameworks for Keighley, Shipley and Bingley.

• Provide a clear vision and objectives for an area
• Identify realistic regeneration opportunities and interventions, setting out what would be required to make those things happen
• Connect the public, private and third sector to unlock the full development potential of an area
• Attract future investment into a place
• Form the basis for the Council’s regeneration work over the next 20 years
• Make it easier for the Council to bid for funding opportunities
• Evolve over time to respond to new opportunities and unforeseen challenges.

• Predict what will happen in the future
• Guarantee the development to happen
• Replace the need for planning permission
• Prevent development happening outside of the framework

The Development Frameworks were created through two phases of stakeholder engagement during 2023.  

The first phase of stakeholder engagement focussed on asking people what they would like to see in Bradford, Keighley, Shipley and Bingley in the future.

• Online surveys were conducted for each place, which received 1,102 responses, publicised by a press release and social media.
• 130 individual stakeholders were engaged via Sounding Boards, Workshops and 1-2-1 discussions.  This included the Town Councils, Towns Boards, local college students, local businesses, local cultural facilities and community groups.

The results of the first phase of engagement helped shape the production of draft frameworks.  The second phase of stakeholder engagement presented the draft frameworks, inviting feedback.  This stage ran for 6 weeks during Autumn 2023.

The final Development Frameworks were amended to reflect the feedback received during the second phase of stakeholder engagement.