PLANS for 25 houses on a site in Keighley have been approved.

North Country Homes submitted a planning application to Bradford Council earlier this year for the development, on land off Parklee Court, Parkwood Rise.

Now planning officers have given the green light, pointing out that the site had previously been earmarked for housing by the council.

There was one letter in support of the scheme, and one against.

The objector voiced concerns that local schools would be unable to accommodate any more children moving into the area.

But representatives from the council education department refuted the claim, saying that neighbouring schools were currently undersubscribed – and that this situation was likely to continue for several years.

The council says a development of this size would usually require 20 per cent of the properties – in this case five homes – to be classed as affordable.

However, the developer claimed in its application that providing affordable housing would make the scheme unviable.

And after reading the developer’s viability appraisal, planning officers agreed, so the development won't include any allocation of affordable housing.

A condition of the approval is that the developer will have to plant new hedgerows on the site.