CONCERNS have been raised after planners approved a new access road to future housing off Silsden’s busy main road.

The new route will run from Keighley Road across wasteland that lies between two unadopted side streets. It would allow vehicle access to a site in Sykes Lane allocated for housing under Bradford Council’s Unitary Development Plan.

Existing side streets – Millbank and Albert Square – would be blocked off at their junctions with Keighley Road, and instead have new entrances and exits to the new access road.

The plan was approved by Bradford Council last Thursday, but has drawn concerns from town and district councillor, Adrian Naylor. He insisted any surfacing of the two side streets should be carried out sympathetically as they are in a conservation area.

He added: “While the work will improve the appearance of the roads, it must be in keeping with the historic nature of the area – stonework or cobbles rather than a sea of tarmacadam.

“This work also needs to be carefully considered in relation to how many homes are built.”

The proposed housing site lies between the Leeds-Liverpool Canal and Sykes Lane, which runs parallel with Keighley Road.

It is one of several sites between Keighley Road and the canal that are likely to be developed for housing or retail during the next few years.

Harron Homes revealed proposals in 2012 to build 55 homes on the Sykes Lane site, but it has not yet submitted a formal planning application.

The company made last week’s access road application jointly with Bradford Council – which owns the strip of wasteland – and Novo Homes.

Applicants applied for the access road in isolation before Harron Homes embarks on preparations for a full application.The applicants claim the new entrance off Keighley Road will provide much safer access for residents of Millbank and Albert Square.

A planning application for 120 homes in Sykes Lane, by Taylor Woodrow Developments, was approved in 2008.

Cllr Naylor would have preferred planners to have discussed the Keighley Road-Sykes Lane access road together with other planning applications, including a supermarket on the Becks Mill site.