Plans for a new children's home in Oakworth have been abandoned -- due to two sewerage pipes.

The shock announcement that Bradford Council is to withdraw an application for a children's home in the village due to technical problems was made at a packed neighbourhood forum meeting.

A previous meeting saw residents vehemently oppose the planned eight bedroom home at "The Chipping Yard".

As about 200 residents gathered on Wednesday night they were told that the announcement to withdraw the application was "hot off the press".

Bradford Council's director of social services, Alison O'Sullivan, explained that due to technical problems posed by two sewerage pipes on the site the current plans had been abandoned.

She said: "There have been significant technical complications in respect of building the children's home over two sewerage pipes passing through the site.

"It is likely that in order to meet the requirements of building regulations and the agreement of the third party owner of the pipes, modifications to the design and or location of the building on the site would need to be made. Changing the orientation of the building at the top end of the site to resolve this issue would require new plans to be drawn up and publicised.

"It is not physically possible to fit the proposed home at the bottom of the site."

She added: "It may be that a further application could be lodged if these technical difficulties can be resolved.

"I never expected to be making this announcement tonight. It is hot off the press."

Ward councillor Kris Hopkins, who lives in Oakworth, said he felt that both Bradford Council and the Oakworth people had a lot to learn from the way the situation had been handled. He said: "As a council we clearly have a lot to learn about processes like this and how we communicate with people.

"I have been disappointed with the way people have reacted to this and feel to some extent the children we are talking about have been demonised.

"I have had a resident say they would need to put grilles on the windows and install CCTV if the plans went ahead.

"The children we were talking about were seven to 13-year-old victims.

"I live in Oakworth and I have seen a different side to the village that I didn't think existed, and I have been appalled by some of the things that have been said."

Cllr Hopkins stressed that people had presented him with legitimate planning objections and sincere concerns in good faith, but added that he had been uncomfortable by some of the reactions.

"I would like to see social services come back to this hall and talk to people about what really goes on and how a children's home is run to address some of these issues.

"As far as the application goes, it looks like this is at an end," he added.

One resident said: "I don't think for a minute that people in Oakworth are anti-children. Many people have raised legitimate objections."

His sentiments were echoed by another member of the audience who added: "There is plenty of sympathy for children who need to be in care. At the last meeting people stressed that they realised children's homes were needed.

"But there were issues -- such as the lack of facilities in Oakworth even for the children who already live here -- that were not even minuted."

Another added after the meeting: "People have had real concerns about this, and to say that the children have been demonised in Oakworth is simply not true."