'No evidence' of castle on homes site - developer

Work has started on a £23m housing development after no evidence was found of a medieval castle which it was thought could once have been located on the site.

Last year, Bradford Council gave planning permission to build 93 homes on the Coolgardie Farm site at Crossflatts, Bingley.

But the authority was told to carry out an archaeological study after West Yorkshire Archaeology Advisory Service said there was some evidence there had once been a castle in the area.

Developers Avant Homes West Yorkshire said no sign of any medieval structure had since been uncovered on the site.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, there had been concerns over the possibility of a medieval castle having been located there as centuries-old maps of the area referred to a "Bailey Hill" near the site of the planned homes - a bailey being the outer courtyard of a castle.

Meanwhile, the land to the north and north west of Coolgardie Farm had long been known as "Castle Fields".

A spokesperson for Avant Homes West Yorkshire said: "Our consultants carried out a thorough archaeological evaluation of the site which involved excavating 10 trenches at various locations across it.

"During the excavations, no evidence of a medieval castle or associated activity, or any other type of archaeology, was encountered."

As a result, work on the site began earlier this month and the completed development would be known as Five Rise Quarter, the developer said.

The first residents were expected to move into the homes, located off Keighley Road and near Bingley Grammar School, in spring 2026, they added.

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