A MILLION pound housing scheme for elderly people in Skipton is back on track after a U-turn by Craven District Council.

The authority's community services committee has now agreed to release a piece of green field land next to the Leeds and Liverpool canal near Roughaw Close - reversing a decision made last October.

Nearby residents were angered by the about-turn, after making pleas to committee members on Wednesday.

Although not in the Local Plan, the site was considered an 'exception' and deemed ideal for the 17-bungalow development. It received planning permission in November.

The scheme, backed by £425,000 funding from the Housing Corporation, is to be run by the Anchor Housing Trust, who will put up the rest of the £844,500 development.

Craven District Council's only outlay, in return for 17 new homes, will be to release the land, worth £37,500.

The long-term intention is to free up larger, family-sized, houses on the rest of the Greatwood Estate currently occupied by single pensioners.

But nearby homeowners like Sheila Parker, of Roughaw Road, believe losing any portion of green field site is a high price to pay.

She said: 'Three years ago I presented over 100 signatures objecting to homes on the land in question. I am sure they will all be bitterly disappointed at this decision, as I am. 'It's going to be chaos when the development is built, and wildlife like the swans on the canal will not be seen again.'

But supporters of the scheme, like Coun Claire Brooks, believe there is no alternative.

She said: 'In Craven we have one of the highest populations of older people and we have to provide for them. It would be nonsense to refuse them this area when we have nowhere else to put them in.'

The final decision will be taken at the next Full Council meeting on January 26.

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