Objectors to a planned housing estate at the Middleton Hospital site in Ilkley say they are confident their voice was heard at a public inquiry - despite confusion over planning applications.

Before the inquiry in Harrogate, many objectors were worried that they would be silenced because of the confusion surrounding a bid by builders Clays of Addingham to build a housing estate on the Carters Lane site owned by the National Health Service Executive.

This led to fears that some objections would not be considered by the inspector because planning applications had been withdrawn and re-submitted with modifications.

Those who objected to planning applications which were later withdrawn were worried that inquiry rules meant they would not have the chance to make their case.

A spokesman for Harrogate's planning department said that two separate Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions inspectors would be completing reports into the £20 million plan for Secretary of State John Prescott by the end of the year.

The first report will have been generated by the public inquiry into objections to Harrogate's Local Plan which ended last summer.

The second report will come from Clay's objections to Harrogate's non-determination of their planning applications.

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