Controversial plans to build 229 new homes in the heart of Steeton were deferred by councillors yesterday afternoon.

Developer Skipton Properties wants to build the houses on fields to the east of Thornhill Road.

The firm’s proposals sparked more than 100 letters of objection from residents. They said the village’s infrastructure would be overwhelmed by a development of this scale.

Bradford Council planning officers recommended the application be granted conditional approval.

Members of the Keighley Area Planning Panel considered the officers’ report yesterday at a four-hour meeting, which was initially attended by nearly 20 members of the public.

Planning officer John Eyles said the applicant had agreed to offer £300,000 towards local education provision.

He said the developer would be building a full quota of 60 two and three-bedroom affordable houses on the site, all of which would be available for rent.

Panel chairman Councillor Chris Greaves said he was concerned about the proposed estate having only one vehicular access route, off Thornhill Road.

Craven ward district councillor Andrew Mallinson said there was much “anguish and anger” among some residents who said they had not received the promised five working days notice of the panel meeting.

He said the development would aggravate traffic congestion problems at Thornhill Road's junction with Skipton Road.

Roger Lambert, a Steeton resident, said the application could not go ahead when so many issues remained unresolved.

He said planners needed to find additional access routes for cars and should not be railroaded into making a premature decision.

Jo Steel, the agent speaking on behalf of Skipton Properties, said the firm was committed to spending £4million to tackle potential drainage problems.

He added the developer was taking care not to infringe public rights of way.

He said it needed to adhere to a strict timetable to ensure it qualified for funds to allow it to build a full complement of affordable houses.

But three out of the four panel members councillors Greaves, Doreen Lee and Catherine Rowen voted to defer the plans.

They said more information was needed, including details of how schools would deal with increased numbers of children, up to date traffic figures and whether ongoing sewage problems could be resolved.

They also said they would like to see more than one vehicle access route to the site and called for the affordable homes to be dispersed throughout the estate instead of being grouped together.