Cononley villagers have given an overwhelming thumbs down to plans to develop a key site in the village.
Outline planning permission is being sought to build houses in Madge Bank, a sloping field bounded by Crosshills Road and the playing fields.
The application says the site has capacity for 25 houses, with vehicular access being via a new mini-roundabout.
At an extraordinary meeting of the parish council on Monday, however, the overwhelming response from residents and members was to oppose the development.
Parish council chairman, Councillor Lois Brown, said: “Madge Bank is probably the single most important undeveloped field in the village, as it helps to preserve the open rural aspect that makes Cononley unique from other larger villages that have become solid blocks of suburban housing and businesses.
“The barn on the site, which would be demolished under the proposed application to make way for a mini-roundabout, has been in existence since at least 1750. The village strongly believes this site is a heritage asset that must be preserved for future generations.
“The proposed access scheme and the resulting increase in traffic levels through the village has not been thought through. Pedestrian safety is already an existing issue for Crosshills Road due to the narrow width of the road where a footpath cannot be accommodated, leading to pedestrians being put at risk on a daily basis, especially at peak times.”