Villagers have reacted with fury at plans to build a £15million three-star hotel and more than a hundred retirement homes on green land in the centre of Haworth.

Details of Pervez Abbas’s plans for the development including the 35-bedroom hotel and leisure facilities and homes for people over 50 were revealed in yesterday’s T&A.

An initial planning application for the hotel and 18 apartments with a 99-space car park has been submitted and another for a development of 160 homes is set to follow in the next few weeks, Mr Abbas said.

The Bradford-based businessman is facing a fight, however, after residents vowed to battle against the development west of Weavers Hill, known as “village green space”.

Elaine Pearson, 46, whose home in Old Hall Close overlooks the site, said: “When we bought our house, there was planning permission to build further houses on that site but that was over 20 years ago.

“When the district planning laws were revised in 2005, that plot of land was designated as village green space and only in exceptional circumstances can somebody build on it. I don’t think these are exceptional circumstances.”

Mr Pervez insists the site is not green belt land and said consultants had identified a need for hotel accommodation in Haworth.

His comments were backed up by Councillor Glen Miller, who said there was a “dire need” for tourist accommodation, but questioned whether the Weavers Hill site was the place for it.

Mrs Pearson, parish clerk for Oxenhope, said: “I deal with planning officers on a regular basis and, on developments of this size, you would expect the developer to have some kind of dialogue before putting in this kind of application. I hope they refuse it.”

John Huxley, chairman of Haworth Parish Council, said a record number of people turned up to a meeting to discuss the application and councillors were unanimously opposed to the scheme.

He said: “The area is designated as green space and is seen by the parish council as integral to the nature of the village. We are trying to protect the tourist industry here and what the village looks like.”

Coun Huxley said there was already enough development going on in Haworth, with projects underway to convert Ebor, Bridgehouse and Ivy Park mills into homes.

He said: “When they are finished, the village is going to increase by 15 per cent. You are talking about 300 new homes – that is a huge number. We do not need any more homes.

“We fundamentally disagree with Glen Miller that there is a need for a hotel and we are the people who will have to live with this development.”