A BUTCHERS' plan to build a farm shop and cafe on the outskirts of Silsden has been refused after councillors were told the proposal would go against green belt policy.

Councillors said they supported the business' plans to expand, but argued they couldn't rip up national planning policy.

Last year, long-standing Silsden butcher Isherwood's applied for planning permission to build a new farm shop and cafe next to the golf driving range in Keighley Road.

Isherwood's is currently based in a small unit in Silsden town centre. The business said it wanted to expand, but argued that there were no buildings in Silsden available.

Although the proposed site is currently a car parking area, it does lie within the green belt.

Bradford Council received 908 letters of support for the application, and 32 objections.

But when the plans came before the council's Keighley and Shipley Planning Panel, planning officers had recommended the development should be refused.

They argued the proposal would go against two major planning policies – preventing development in the green belt and discouraging businesses to open in out-of-town locations.

They also raised concerns about increased traffic turning into and out of the site on a busy main road.

Jo Steele, representing the applicants, said the company had been looking for larger premises in the town for decades, but no free units were available.

Silsden town councillor Adrian Naylor spoke in support of the plans, arguing there were "special circumstances" that should allow the scheme to go ahead.

He said hundreds of homes had been built or were due to be built in Silsden in the coming years.

Unless businesses were supported, Silsden risked becoming a "dormitory town", he argued.

Worth Valley councillor Chris Herd said: "I can't help but feel we would miss an opportunity if we didn't support this."

Chair of the committee, Councillor Sinead Engel, said: "This site is in the green belt I don't think we can get past that."

And Councillor Nazam Azam said: "This is an excellent plan, but it is in the wrong place. I don't want to come across as anti-business, but getting over the green belt issue is too much."

But Cllr Herd said: "Someone is seeking to invest a lot of money and create jobs. I think planning needs to consider that a bit more."

Every member of the committee except Cllr Herd voted to refuse the application.

Afterwards, Keighley MP Robbie Moore criticised the refusal.

He said: “Time and time again, Bradford Council have chosen to ignore widespread local opposition and push ahead with the barrage of new housing developments they have unleashed on Silsden - putting our town’s infrastructure at risk.

"Yet now, when it comes to an application from a local small business for a farm shop which would have created jobs and boosted the local economy, they reject it - even after the Isherwood’s received huge widespread local support for their plans. It’s hypocritical, non sensical and anti-business.

"Bradford Council should be supporting local business growth, especially for key infrastructure projects such as local shops and services - not refusing them."