PARISH councillors this week recommended refusal of a planning application to turn an Ilkley pub into a housing development.

At the same time the town's planning office has been swamped with a record number of objections from people hoping to keep the Wheatley Hotel at Ben Rhydding as a a viable concern.

The pub has been closed for nearly a year and owners Punch Taverns have teamed up with Antler Homes which aims to put 22 properties on the site. Part of the building would be converted and the rest demolished.

It is understood that as the issue went before the Planning Committee of Ilkley Parish Council, more than 600 objections had been lodged.

Planning officer Martin Burke said: "We have received hundreds - more than I have ever seen for one application in nearly ten years here."

And Planning Committee members have recommended refusal of the development on the grounds of over-dominance of the site and over-development.

Chairman councillor Audrey Brand explained: "Current Government policy allows anything between 30 and 50 units per hectare. The Ben Rhydding development is for 22 units on 0.3 of a hectare which equates to 64 per hectare. That is over-development."

Coun Brand also said that the planned three-storey houses were a case of over-dominance.

"We would be sorry to see this focal point of the community go, where residents can gather round."

Campaigners aim to put up a huge fight to save their 'local'. The Save Us Pub (SUP) group believe that the Wheatley could still be run as a successful business.

Steering group member Sandy MacPherson said this week: "So far we have got more than 600 objections in and we would like to have topped the 1,000 mark by the time the deadline is reached on June 19.

"The opposition to this development is unprecedented, even for Ilkley, and we have got a further two weeks to add to the total."

Mr MacPherson said that the news that Keighley brewers Timothy Taylor were interested in taking on the Wheatley was good news.

"It gives the lie to Punch Taverns' claim that it is looking for a partner to keep it as a pub. Timothy Taylor's brews beer and runs pubs - what better partner could you have?"

Last week Taylor's confirmed that they were interested in taking over the Wheatley and running it as a viable concern.

Yesterday, Andrew Daykin, the Tied Estate Manager for the company, said he was not in a position to comment on the bid.

Similarly, no comment was available from Punch Taverns, either on the Timothy Taylor bid or the fact that Ilkley Parish Council had recommended rejection of the housing plans.

Added weight for the campaign came this week from Ilkley MP Ann Cryer, who said: "If Timothy Taylor's want my backing on this, they've got it.

"I feel that money is being put before the good of the community. This was a particularly good facility for the area - the only pub there - and it meant that people did not have to use their cars to go and have a drink."

Mrs Cryer, who is lodging her own objection to the housing scheme, pointed out that the pub was used by various groups and was a focal point for the community of Ben Rhydding.

However, she warned: "The only way to keep it as a pub is to come up with good planning reasons for the development being inappropriate."

And Ben Rhydding councillor Anne Hawkesworth said: "I go back to square one - I don't think we should be even considering details of the plans. We should object to the change of use as unsuitable."

l Mr MacPherson said that SUP was probably going to hold a special protest event on the anniversary of the Wheatley's closure.