NEIGHBOURS fear that another house built on a small development plot in Ilkley would increase flooding risks for their homes.

A public hearing was told that drainage in the area had been affected by the construction by Spellman Developments of three houses on a site at Cranford, Parish Ghyll Lane.

Neighbour Terry Horn told the hearing that her home in Parish Ghyll Lane was flooded last year following heavy rain.

Mrs Horn said: "Spellman have built a drain which is inadequate - several of the properties that sit below have been flooded out. Last year we literally had inches of water come into our property.

"We had a lot of rain all of a sudden - debris ran off the moor and jammed up the drains. Although the drains look good they will not work when they become jammed up. My next door neighbour suffered a lot more damage than us."

She said that a large drain and a retaining wall had to be built around her home to keep out the water running off the moor to prevent a repeat of the flood.

"We don't want that to happen again - building on that remaining patch would have a substantial effect," Mrs Horn said.

Another neighbour, Barrie King, told the hearing at Ilkley Town Hall that he was also worried about the effect of the Spellman development on the risk of flooding in the area.

He said he had lived in his home since 1991 and had witnessed the development of the former meadow and woodland from a natural watershed which drained excess water into the nearby stream.

"This has been to some extent been destroyed and disturbed by the building of the houses," said Mr King.

He added that he was worried that the construction of the further house and garage on the site would increase seepage of water into nearby properties, including his own which lies opposite the proposed site.

Spellman Developments are appealing against Bradford Council's decision to refuse a plan for a fourth house on the site. A similar appeal was turned down in 1999 but planning consultant Andrew Rollinson told the hearing that circumstances had changed since then and the latest Government planning guidelines would allow another house on the plot.

Although Ilkley Parish Council and neighbours are worried about flooding as well as other issues including highway dangers, drainage was not one of the reasons why the plan was turned down by the Keighley Area Planning Panel.

Department of the Environment planning inspector Chris Watson summed up Bradford Council's case.

He said that since 1999, the area had been included in Ilkley's Conservation Area and planners believed the additional property would be harmful to the character of the area.

Planners also believe that the extra property would eventually force the removal of an oak tree and a hedge from the area.

Ilkley planning officer Martyn Burke said: "Since 1999 the Conservation Area has been extended to include this site in recognition of its contribution to the character of the area. The development of this site would result in excessive development."

But as far as drainage was concerned Mr Burke said that particular issues had been raised by planners but the developer had dealt with these in an approved way.

Mr Rollinson, acting for Spellman, said: "The character of this site in 1999 was significantly different to the character it is now. It would be a logical rounding off of a small housing development."

Mr Watson said he would lead all the parties on a site visit to continue the discussion before announcing his decision in a few weeks time.