New housing and replacement units on the Manywells industrial estate will vastly improve the site, developers claim.

Commercial Estates Group (CEG) said the current industrial estate was inefficient and existing buildings were in poor condition.

Company spokesman Steve McBurney said new commercial units would meet modern requirements and retain local jobs, while new housing was much needed in Cullingworth.

Mr McBurney spoke of the company’s thinking behind the project after proposals for the site were outlined to Cullingworth Village Council earlier this month.

Councillors expressed concerns about the potential number of new homes, effects on wildlife and potential effects on companies in the existing industrial units.

Mr McBurney said CEG had been working on its redevelopment plans for several years, and the site was given planning permission for residential and commercial development in 2010.

He added: “Changes in national and local planning policies, as well as market conditions, have made us re-look at the scheme and bring forward a more suitable proposal.”

CEG will not yet reveal details of its plans, but intends to consult villagers next month.

The company is looking at moving a wildlife area, which contains orchids, to a suitable location elsewhere on the site.