Council sells land for three times its guide price

Two council-owned plots of land in Bradford have been sold at auction for well above their guide price.

Bradford Council is in the process of selling off numerous assets as part of an ongoing push to reach financial stability.

The most recent lots of land to be sold were a site in Steeton and another off Sticker Lane.

The two sites sold for a combined total of £149,000 - almost three times what they were expected to go for.

In 2024, the government stepped in to offer Exceptional Financial Support to Bradford Council with the local authority unable to balance its books.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the support came with a number of caveats, including the sale of millions of pounds' worth of financial assets to reduce borrowing levels.

The land to the rear of Sticker Lane had a guide price of £45,000 when it was listed in the last online auction.

It was described as: "A freehold parcel of grassland extending to approx 0.35 hectares (0.85 acres).

"The plot is located at the corner of Lower Lane and Parry Lane, situated adjacent to residential properties and commercial premises.

"The plot may be suitable for development, subject to any necessary consents."

The land eventually sold for £113,000 to an undisclosed buyer.

The second lot was a sliver of land at Cornmill Yard on Skipton Road in Steeton, which had a guide price of just £5,000.

The 0.2 hectare (0.44 acre) plot of land, which included a stretch of Steeton Beck, sold for £36,000 to an undisclosed buyer.

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