A new 'uncompromisingly modern' footbridge is to be built across the Leeds-Liver-pool canal.

The decision was made by planning councillors yesterday to approve a revised design of the bridge. The ruling overcomes the last hurdle to building up to 400 new homes on a nearby green-field site off Swine Lane, Riddlesden.

The lightweight bridge will stand next to the ancient Swine Lane road bridge - a listed building - which is narrow and has no footpath for pedestrians.

Bradford council's Keighley area planning sub-committee heard that the bridge will be painted in 'earthy' colours to fit in with rural surroundings, and a stainless steel railing will help pedestrians with poor sight.

Yesterday Keighley MP Ann Cryer, who backs the fight against the development, said: "I think most avenues of opposition to housing at this site have now been exhausted.

"I hope the local authority and residents will watch it like a hawk. Too often you find that developers have their plans passed and then extra houses are added. We need to ensure that plans are rigidly adhered to."

Developer Taywood Homes wants to build a minimum of 136 homes on the valley side west of Swine Lane, but City Hall planners had insisted on a suitable new footbridge before work could begin. Architects were sent back to the drawing board after the committee said the first plan looked like a Meccano model.

The plans for the bridge and the housing development as a whole have drawn vociferous opposition.

Cllr John Cope, chairman of the planning committee, said: "If we had gone for a new stone bridge it would have been terribly detrimental to the existing bridge."

But Cllr Sandy McPherson said: "There is no fundamental change whatsoever. It still obscures the stone bridge. The earthy colours and stainless steel remind me of military camouflage.

"It's quite clear that it's going to look awful. I bow to nobody in matters of aesthetic judgement. There is a serious error of judgement in this decision."

A planning spokesman said the amended version was more in keeping with the listed bridge, and stressed that access would be by steps and a ramp and that there would be stainless steal handrails.

''It has the full support of the council's conservation team in that it preserves the stone Swine Lane canal bridge," said the spokesman. ''It is uncompromisingly modern, but there are subtle differences in detail which make it more acceptable than any previously submitted schemes.

"The design involves a curve in the deck, and the bridge is lower on the western approach to bring it more in line with the lie of the land. The lightweight steel bridge ensures the stone listed building remains the most important visible feature, with the new bridge being secondary and functional.''

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