A leading councillor has voiced his concern about a proposed housing development in Exley Head, Keighley.

Cllr Barry Thorne has expressed reservations about a proposed housing development at Wheat Head Lane. He was invited to attend a residents' meeting to discuss the planned development of 67 new homes.

Cllr Thorne - who sits on Bradford council's Keighley area planning sub-committee - says there are question marks over the suitability of the development. He says: "The people who live in the area have raised three eminently reasonable and legitimate concerns regarding road safety, the presence of natural springs in the area and the availability of local school places. All I can do is look at the evidence I've got and in that respect I couldn't support this application."

Keighley MP Ann Cryer has also voiced her concern about the proposed development and has written a letter to Keighley planning officer Colin Waggett, asking for each issue to be considered carefully.

Residents living in the area have voiced their opposition to the plans, saying the development would bring an unwanted increase in the level of traffic.

The presence of natural springs in the area has caused fears that a development would lead to flooding for residents already living in the area.

They also argue that the area does not have the facilities and adequate school places to cope with the extra number of people.

Cheshire-based Fairclough Homes is behind the application which should go before the Keighley area planning sub-committee in May.

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