A CONTROVERSIAL plan to develop Ilkley College student accommodation in Queens Road has been deferred again by Ilkley's plans committee.

The Crest Homes plan, to convert bedsits at Westwood into 28 apartments, went before the committee for the second time this week.

But planning chairman Councillor Kate Brown said the deadline for residents to make their representations to Bradford about the plan did not run out until next Tuesday so the committee felt is was not appropriate to make a recommendation until after that date.

Residents of Queens Road have already objected to the plan along with Ilkley Civic Society and district councillor Martin Smith (Con).

Coun Brown also said that the committee wanted more details on the Crest Homes plan so that the effect on surrounding properties, particularly overshadowing, could be assessed accurately.

"The details are not as full as we would have hoped, but they are supposed to be

producing another plan," said Coun Brown.

Many objectors have suggested that Crest Homes should submit detailed planning applications for the whole three sites rather than one or two at a time.

They feel this would show the full impact of the housing development on traffic and local services.

But Ilkley planning officer Martyn Burke said that Bradford Council was obliged by law to deal with each planning application within an eight week period unless there were special circumstances.

It was not possible to wait until subsequent planning applications were submitted.

In his objection to the plan, Coun Smith says there is confusion over the ownership boundary of the site and a right of way across it.

"The plan is incorrect and should not be accepted as a valid application until these items are corrected," says Coun Smith.

Ilkley Civic Society chairman Bob Tilley said: "Like the parish council, we also defer comment until we know what it is we are supposed to be looking at."

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