Ilkley residents bitterly opposed to a proposed development scheme in Hebers Ghyll Drive have condemned it as the 'Berlin Wall' of housing.

Keighley-based Tillotson Developments Limited has submitted an application to demolish Whinfield, a Victorian house, and construct seven new houses and garages.

The company withdrew an earlier application just weeks ago before submitting its new proposals for the site.

Planning officials believe favourable amendments have been made, but it was not yet clear if they would be favourable enough.

Those living in the shadow of Whinfield have slammed the company's plans as totally out of character for the area.

They do not want three-storey buildings in a part of Ilkley they believe is rich with Victorian and Edwardian heritage.

An Ilkley planning spokesman said the new application included more 'traditional-looking' housing and efforts had been made to reduce the height.

David Cartwright, of Ghyll Wood, said: "There are several issues at stake here. It is not a NIMBY issue. You accept development takes place but it must be appropriate to a particular area."

Fellow Ghyll Wood resident Kewal Singh Jagpal said: "I think these houses will destroy my privacy. You will be left with a Berlin Wall of houses to look at."

The third Ghyll Wood resident appalled at the prospect of the plan being approved is Edith Ridgway.

"This is a Victorian area of Ilkley. I believe these Victorian houses need some official status and protection," she said.

Mr Cartwright said the scheme was not only inappropriate and out of character for the area, it would:

l Lead to a significant rise in traffic and noise.

l Set a highly undesirable precedent for Ilkley.

l Take no account of wildlife in the immediate area.

The plan has also met with opposition from Ilkley Parish Council's planning committee.

At a meeting on Monday evening, committee members agreed the company's scheme was inappropriate.

Coun Audrey Brand, chairman of the planning committee, said: "It is still over-development for that piece of land."

Architect John Wharton, acting as the company's agent in the application, said he had no comment to make.

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