Inquiry set to begin into contested Silsden woodland works
A four-day planning inquiry will open next week to determine whether a series of unauthorised works and structures at Jacobs Wood Farm, Silsden, must be removed following enforcement action by Bradford Council. The appeal has been lodged by AZARA GIDA SAN.VE TIC.LTD .ŞTİ against an enforcement notice issued earlier this year.
The hearing, to be conducted by a Government-appointed planning inspector, is scheduled to begin at 10am on Tuesday 21 July at the Midland Hotel in Bradford city centre and is expected to run for four days, according to inquiry documents.
What the council says has happened on site
Bradford Council’s notice concerns land off Holden Lane, part of a wooded area identified as Ancient Woodland and within the zone of influence of the South Pennine Moors Special Protection Area. The authority states that works were carried out without planning permission and has ordered them to stop, citing harm to the openness of the Green Belt and to the character of the local landscape.
- Concrete pads laid on sections of the woodland
- Buildings associated with holiday activity erected
- Septic tanks installed
- Materials imported to create access tracks
“The unauthorised works are considered to have a harmful effect on the openness of the Green Belt to the extent that it is not preserved. The development of the wooded area has resulted in substantial tree loss, altering the character and appearance of the area, resulting in a harmful urbanising effect that diminishes the special character and appearance of the Airedale Landscape which is typically upland pastures with wooded inclines.”
Photographs published by the council show hardstanding and several structures within the wooded site.
Enforcement requirements and restoration timetable
The enforcement notice requires buildings, access roads and concrete to be removed, with compliance initially set within a six-month period. As part of habitat repair measures, the notice also requires the planting of 300 trees across the affected area by March 2027.
| Key requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Stop unauthorised works | Immediate cessation of further development activities |
| Removal | Take out buildings, concrete pads and access tracks |
| Restoration | Plant 300 trees by March 2027 |
Why the location matters
The case turns on national and local protections for sensitive landscapes. Green Belt policy seeks to prevent urban sprawl by safeguarding the countryside from encroachment. Ancient Woodland is regarded as an “irreplaceable” habitat due to its long-established ecological value and is given strong protection in planning policy. The site’s relationship to the South Pennine Moors SPA adds further consideration because of internationally important bird habitats and wider ecological impacts.
In its formal reasoning, the council points to the loss of trees and a perceived urbanising effect from hardstanding and structures, arguing these harm the distinctive character of Airedale’s upland pastures and wooded slopes.
The appeal and the process ahead
The company named on the notice, AZARA GIDA SAN.VE TIC.LTD .ŞTİ, filed an appeal in March, triggering the inquiry. A planning inspector will hear evidence and submissions before deciding whether to uphold, vary or quash the enforcement notice. The inquiry is anticipated to run for four days, after which the inspector will issue a decision in writing.
Planning inquiries typically examine whether the alleged development took place, if planning permission is required, whether it should be granted retrospectively, and, if not, whether the requirements of an enforcement notice are reasonable and proportionate in the circumstances. The inspector’s decision will be binding unless challenged through the courts on points of law.
Local significance
For residents in Silsden and across Bradford district, the outcome will set an important marker on the balance struck between rural economic uses, recreational or holiday-related development, and the safeguarding of valued landscapes and habitats. It also has implications for how restoration is secured where harm is found, including the feasibility and timetable for tree planting and site remediation in ancient woodland contexts.
The hearing will take place at the Midland Hotel, Bradford, from Tuesday 21 July at 10am and is expected to continue over four days. Inquiry documents indicate the venue and timetable; further details will be issued through the Planning Inspectorate’s processes.
