TRAFFIC chaos and further delay to the building of Wharfedale Hospital in Otley could be on the cards, it has been claimed.

Town councillors are furious that amendments to the area's planning blueprint say the development of 400 houses in the east of the town can start before the completion of the East of Otley relief road.

And they have sent a list of objections to the city council in the hope it is not to late to make changes.

Councillor Lawrence Ross, chairman of the council's environment committee, said: "It's going to be five years of hell before anything is done. This should really be put in the public domain."

Although a five year time limit has been put on the housing development in the revised draft Unitary Development Plan, councillors say many houses will be occupied by then, bringing many more cars into the town centre.

In addition, building of the new hospital - originally planned for land next to Garnett's mill off Pool Road - will have to be put on hold until the relief road is built.

And gravel extraction at Midgley's Farm, off Pool Road, will begin with heavy lorries travelling daily through the town.

Coun Ross said it was a nightmare scenario for the town.

"The problem we see is that three things are going to happen in Otley before the relief road is going to be built.

"The new hospital can't be built before the relief road and there'll be 40 odd ton lorries coming along Pool Road to go through Otley."

Coun Ross said the developers of the land to the east of Otley were being given five years to build the houses and the relief road.

"What they are saying is that the housing developer cannot finance the road before selling the houses.

"They can build 80 houses a year and even if 90 per cent of the relief road is built, people won't be able to use any of it until it's finished."

It is believed the relief road will cost in the region of £2.4 million - part of which the council believes should be financed by the gravel extraction company working at Midgley Farm.

"We can't see why the people at the gravel pit can't help towards the

building of the road, it seems absolutely ludicrous that these things will happen, it will clog Otley even more.

"We have really got to carry on making representations and work with the UDP inspector and the city council," added Coun Ross.

l The council has also objected to modifications in the UDP to take land at the former Bridge End auction mart out of the green belt.

It is recommended that the land next to the River Wharfe be taken from the greenbelt - opening it up to possible development.

But the town council says the land is subject to flooding and any development would put added pressure on Otley Bridge.

l The deadline for comments about the Revised Draft Unitary Development Plan was Monday.