TWO Ilkley councillors have been attacked after trying to block a

proposal to build cheaper homes on the college campus site.

In response to an offer from Crest Homes officials, Tory district

councillors Martin Smith and Anne Hawkesworth said they would not be happy for 'affordable' housing to be included in the campus development.

As part of Bradford Council's planning policy, all new developments over a certain size must contain a percentage of 'affordable' housing.

But Couns Hawkesworth and Smith told developers that affordable housing would not be appropriate for the site which is surrounded by exclusive detached homes.

Coun Smith denied he was being elitist and said the plan was totally inappropriate to the style of houses within the vicinity.

He said that because the site was three-quarters of a mile from the town centre and not by a bus route it would not be a good place for cheaper houses. "It is for quite sensible

reasons. It is not a matter of not wanting them there," said Coun Smith.

He also said that residents living there could be likely to object to

having cheaper homes built on their doorstep. Coun Hawkesworth said: "The portion of the college site indicated by Crest Homes for affordable housing was on the edge of the moors. Affordable housing to be affordable has to be relatively high density buildings. I believe high density buildings on the edge of the moor would be too obvious a building mass."

But the councillors have been condemned by Ilkley parish councillor Roy Fox (Lab) who described the reasons for their decision as 'ridiculous'.

He said that the lack of affordable housing in Ilkley had resulted in steady exodus of young people from the town to places like Otley, Silsden, Addingham and Burley-in-Wharfedale, where property was cheaper. "Not everyone is wealthy and not everyone has an executive job. People who work in shops, cafes, restaurants and bars are not on fantastic wages but they have to have somewhere to live," said Coun Fox.

Coun Fox said that Ilkley's Parish Council planning committee had passed a resolution that affordable housing should built on the site.

"I think it would be fantastic up there for first time homes," said Coun Fox.

Councillors Hawkesworth and Smith told Crest Homes officials they would prefer them to build affordable houses at an alternative site owned by the council at Ashlands Road, off Leeds Road.

But the practicalities of this exercise would be complicated, with Bradford Council having first to advertise the land and sell it to the highest bidder.

Another alternative is for Crest Homes to provide a 'Commuted Sum Payment' to Bradford Council's housing department for affordable housing elsewhere in the town.

But the lack of a suitable site could result in the affordable housing being built many miles away from Ilkley in any other part of the Parliamentary constituency.

Affordable housing usually involves housing associations and residents entering into agreements to buy the house between them.

But Coun Fox said that the Crest Homes offer would result in guaranteed houses for first time buyers in Ilkley. "That site on Leeds Road could be three or five years away. We have got a site with around 100 houses on it. If you are talking that amount of houses they definitely should be in there," said Coun Fox.

Tony Vincent, managing director of Crest Homes (Northern) Ltd, said: "We have met with groups of interested parties to hear their concerns about the development of the college site. Among these, we've met with local planners and councillors, who were concerned to know what our plans for affordable housing were. A number of ideas were tabled including possibilities on-site and

elsewhere in Ilkley. The discussions focused on finding the best place in Ilkley.

"Crest Homes is happy to accommodate either option, including building affordable homes in

partnership with a housing association. We will be discussing this in more detail with the planning department."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.