HARECROFT residents have expressed concern about the size of a proposed housing department on the site of the village’s chicken factory.

But during a public consultation meeting, they were told the loss of greenbelt might not be as great as initially feared.

Quantity surveyors David Hill hosted the recent meeting to unveil proposals for about 90 new homes on land around the poultry processing plant in Station Road.

Landowner, Malcolm Barker, decided to explore the possibility of houses after Chesterfield Poultry announced it was moving out of the plant at the end of its lease.

Other food processing companies are interested in taking over the plant, but Mr Barker felt a housing development would be a more acceptable future use for the site if he could generate enough income.

Cllr Allison was among those who went along to the well-attended consultation meeting.

He said: “There was a considerable amount of interest from Harecroft residents. There was some surprise about the size of the development from people who saw the plans."

Cllr Allison said one issue was the size of the proposed development in proportion to the rest of Harecroft, which is little more than a collection of houses on both sides of the road between Cullingworth and Wilsden.

He said: “Assuming these are three, four and five-bedroom houses, this would increase the population of Harecroft threefold.

“A developer of that size would clearly change the scale of Harecroft. There are a number of issues that are unresolved and unknown.”

Mr Allison said a large area next to the existing poultry plant is currently a reed bed used to soak away effluent.

He said the developers suggested returning the reed bed to greenbelt, to replace adjacent greenbelt land that would be used for housing.