A Keighley planning boss has blamed Ilkley district councillors for failing to make sure a controversial decision was debated properly.

Councillor Barry Thorne said Ilkley's district councillors should have objected to a plan to turn an Ilkley college building into flats before it was passed by the parish council's planning committee.

He accused Councillor Martin Smith of being 'lazy' and blaming planning officers for his own

oversight.

The Crest Homes planning application to develop Hillside, on Crossbeck Road, had almost been passed by planning officers under the fast-track procedure before the the process was halted at the last minute.

The money-saving procedure allows for plans to be passed by officers instead of being debated by the planning committee, if there are no serious objections.

District councillors Anne Hawkesworth and Martin Smith were horrified that the plan was not sent directly to the Keighley area planning committee for debate.

Coun Smith (Con) told the committee: "The suggestion of approval via an officer's decision on such a contentious site with valid letters of objections and concerns, and with recommendations being taken before the consultation period has been completed, is, unacceptable."

But a member of the Keighley committee, Coun Thorne (Lab - Keighley West) rounded on Coun Smith.

Coun Thorne said: "I am not being lectured by someone who has not had the thought to object. The three ward councillors did not object at the parish council planning meeting. He (Coun Smith) has been lazy and he missed this, and he is trying to blame the officers."

He added: "You haven't raised an objection - that's a fact. It is easy to blame the officers because they can't answer back."

Coun Smith accused Crest Homes of trying to 'bamboozle' the planning officers and councillors by submitting separate plans for the whole college site.

He said: "You can understand the public's and my concern that decisions and applications by this developer are deliberately being confused to bamboozle yourselves and the officers. We seek your assistance in deferring this and other applications until a comprehensive scheme is submitted and a traffic analysis is offered for your consideration."

Andrew Maclaren, a design executive representing Crest Homes (Northern) Ltd, told the committee: "This application has taken a considerable amount of time and skill. It retains a very important building within the conservation area and gives it a new lease of life."

After hearing objections about the scheme from local residents, a representative of Ilkley Civic Society and making a site visit, the planning committee deferred their decision on the plan, despite the officer's recommendation to grant approval.

Ilkley planning officer Martyn Burke said after the meeting that the members were concerned about the proposed vehicle access to the flats complex on the dangerous and narrow Crossbeck Road.

Architects working for Crest Homes will now have to submit a plan suggesting an alternative access on the other side of the building so committee members can decide between the two.

If the access problem is resolved it seems likely that the plan will be approved at the next meeting.

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