The Government’s planning minister Nick Boles offered reassurances about protecting “precious green spaces” during his visit to the Bradford district yesterday.

His comments came as “angry and passionate” residents in Menston and Addingham challenged him over the planning system.

The Conservative minister met Bradford Council officers and community organisations in the two villages to address concerns that his Government’s policies could lead to swathes of the district’s countryside being built on.

Mr Boles said he recognised the wish to see Bradford’s brownfield sites redeveloped wherever possible, adding that the Government could help to unlock difficult sites.

But he warned that some development would have to take place on previously undeveloped sites, although he claimed it would be local people who made the difficult decisions about the location of new housing.

Mr Boles spoke of the crucial role to be played by Bradford District’s Local Plan, currently being revised, as he stressed the need for areas to produce their own local plan, which could put communities in a “very strong position”.

Mr Boles said it was important to come to an area and understand how policies were going to work in all parts of the country.

As he observed the green spaces that surround Addingham, he said: “It’s incredibly important to come and understand how these policies are going to work, and how they can be made to work in places like these, which have different economic circumstances and different pressures.”

Mr Boles acknowledged there was a huge need for housing – although not as much as in the South East – but offered reassurances that green spaces could still be protected.

Among the groups who “made the views loud and clear” were Addingham Civic Society, Ilkley Parish Council and Menston Action Group.

The ministerial visit had been requested by fellow Conservatives MPs Kris Hopkins (Keighley) and Philip Davies (Shipley).

Mr Davies said: “It was a fantastic chance for the residents in Menston to make clear to the planning minister the problems they have encountered and the unfairness in the planning system, which has been riding roughshod over their views.

“The residents made their views to the Minister loud and clear. What has happened in Menston is an absolute disgrace and the minister was left in no illusion about the anger and upset of people who feel the planning system has let them down. He listened very closely to what people said.”

Mr Davies said protecting greenfield sites should be the “cornerstone” of the party’s policy.

Mr Hopkins said: “I’m really delighted that Nick came up and listened to residents today and listened to their concerns.

“People are very passionate about protecting the green belt and I think and he heard that passion.

“I’m really impressed by the way the parish council and village society have set about bringing the community together to articulate a very strong message to the planning minister and the feedback I’ve had from him is that he’s listening and I think he genuinely will listen.”

Mr Hopkins said there needed to be a “sensible and mature” relationship between the Government, Bradford Council, parish councils and residents to ensure the future of communities was shaped as local people wished.

He said: “I want to support people in the Wharfe valley to think about the future of their village - where they live - to sit down and decide the parameters of the new build that’s needed in the Wharfe Valley.”