Ilkley district councillors have been accused of failing to make sure a controversial decision was debated properly.

Coun Barry Thorne said they should have objected to a plan to turn an Ilkley college building into flats before it was passed by the parish council planning committee.

At a meeting of Keighley area planning committee, he accused Coun Martin Smith of 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 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.

The area planning committee deferred its decision on the plan, despite the officers' recommendation to grant approval.

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

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

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