Residents say they cannot be bought by over-the-odds offers for their homes.

They have vowed not to sell their houses just so they can be demolished to provide access to a prime development site in Addingham.

Michael Driver, of Bark Lane, says he was placed in a "principle or profit" dilemma when presented with the offer of a 'development' value for his home.

But he has told villagers it is an offer he can refuse and is urging others receiving a similar package to do the same.

Mary Smale, also of Bark Lane, is backing Mr Driver all the way. She said: "It has been made known to me that the company would pay over-the-odds for our homes but we are not prepared to sell up. We know that houses are going to be built on the land at some time, but we live in bungalows and they want to build three-storey houses in front of us. We don't want this to happen."

Their homes lie on the edge of the prime development site, described as Wharfe Park in the Unitary Development Plan.

A lack of suitable access meant that a previous planning application to build 75 houses on the site had to be withdrawn.

But Mr Driver, who led the 18- month fight against the application, said a Blackburn-based developer had offered to buy his house so it could be demolished, providing an access road and overcoming the main hurdle to the housing development.

"There is a premium to tempt me but I am not going to go ahead - my conscience would not let me," he said. "There's more to life than money." He added that two other residents had been contacted and offered 'development' value for their homes.

"The obvious intention is if they can get one resident to sell they can get access to the field from Bark Lane. I have certainly no intention of selling."

Parish Council chairman Alan Jerome said: "We hope everyone on Bark Lane will refuse."

The site at present contains a saw mill and a field all owned by William Brear and Son Limited, and it lies between Bark Lane and Main Street. It is now up for sale.

Mr Driver said he and the other objectors wanted to ensure that any development would be limited to around 40 houses as envisaged in the Unitary Development Plan.

William Brear and Son would make no comment about the future of the site.

e-mail: olwen.vasey@newsquest.

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