Leslie Howard and Cllr Su Thompson, vice-chairman of Steeton Parish Council, at the controversial site

A PLAN to build dozens of new homes in a historic rural village have outraged residents.

Now the villagers have banded together to fight a plan to build 181 new homes on a site many believed had been set aside for a new school.

Yesterday Bradford Council admitted to the Keighley News that a reference to a school site on the current Replacement Unitary Development Plan map for the area was a "drafting error".

The RUDP adopted in October 2005, should only show part of the site for housing and part is unallocated. The council says no mention is made of the school in the written RUDP report, which takes precedence over the maps.

More than 150 residents gathered at Steeton Primary School this week to discuss Skipton Properties' application for planning permission to build houses near Thornhill Road, in Steeton.

At the meeting on Monday evening, Craven Ward councillor Andrew Mallinson told the assembled it should compile a "wish list" of criteria for the proposed site, so that a good deal is secured to benefit the people of Steeton.

Cllr Mallinson told the crowd: "If we get a strict enough list of criteria that Skipton Properties has to meet, it might be put off building altogether."

Many residents argued the site should be used for a new school, which they say the village desperately needs. One man said: "One hundred and eighty-one houses, that's 300 kids, where are they all going to be schooled? Steeton Primary School is almost full to busting and so is the other one."

High among other concerns was the sewerage system in the area, which villagers claimed already overflowed, creating a regular health hazard.

Fears over congestion on Thornhill Road in the morning rush hour also troubled residents.

One man had spent all morning compiling a traffic survey in the road.

Charles Wilson said: "What concerns me is that the traffic survey that has been done as part of the planning application dealt with the times 7.30-8.30am.

"But the busiest time of rush hour on that road is 8.30-9am!

"I stood on Thornhill Road this morning and counted the cars going past, and I am mainly worried about the road safety and traffic congestion."

Destruction of wildlife, the prospect of three-storey buildings and doubts over whether a playing field and clubhouse planned for the site would benefit residents also worried people at the meeting.

However Irene Shackleton, of Elm View, said: "I think it could be a good thing for the village if there are things put on the site that bring the community together. But it has to be done right.

"I think the meeting has gone very well - for a village this size to all turn out together is an achievement."

Harvey Pritchard from a charity called Planning Aid, which provides residents with free advice and information about the planning system, recommended that everyone should write letters of objection to the planning department.

He said: "Good, well thought-out individual letters usually have the highest impact in my opinion, but if you feel so strongly about it as a community, there is no harm in compiling a joint one too."

As the meeting came to a close, Councillor Mallinson warned residents to keep their eye on the development plans in the next few months.

He said: "Watch this plan very carefully, because it will twist and turn. Every time it changes, you must write and object, time and time again.

"As an elected man I will be watching all the moves, and I have asked that the planning meeting to decide the outcome be held in Steeton."

The period for residents to object has been extended up until nearer the day of the decision, which will probably be made some time in July.

Bradford Council said: "The Replacement Unitary Development Plan (RUDP) was adopted in October 2005. Part of this site is allocated as a phase 2 housing site in the RUDP and part is unallocated.

"Unfortunately, there is a drafting error on the map referring to a school site. The reference to the school was omitted from the RUDP report."

8:05am Thursday 22nd May 2008

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