Plans to use a vacant building for supervised accommodation for people recovering from drug and alcohol dependency and mental illness have been deferred.

The proposals for Woodworth House, in Halifax Road, Keighley came before the area planning panel last Thursday.

Officers reported: "There is a perception held by some residents that there are risks associated with the accommodation of the 'client group' - in this case people recovering from mental illness or drug/alcohol dependency.

"In fact, the proposed occupiers are on the road to recovery and the proposed development here enables them to gain a significant degree of independence prior to being fully assimilated back into the community, but with a degree of support on hand in the form of a warden/supervisor should assistance be required."

It was noted that any future residents of the proposed scheme would be supervised by a warden for 24 hours a day.

Members of the panel were concerned that disabled access would be available to the ground floor only.

Chairman Councillor Chris Greaves said: "We support the principle of this building wholeheartedly but feel more investigation needs to be done to get disabled access throughout more of the building.

"We realise in old buildings it may be impossible to have it totally accessible but we would like to see much more proposed."