A Resident in Haworth is furious with a property developer who has narrowed a street to increase the space around a new development.

The resident of Clarendon Street, who does not wish to be named, says the developer has built a wall in nearby King Street which he says restricts vehicle access to the back of their homes.

He believes that King Street is a highway and should therefore remain wide enough for access by vehicles.

The wall has been built by Oxenhope-based developer David Callaghan, who is building new homes on a site next to King street. The construction runs the length of the narrow road and tapers in towards the end of King Street.

The resident says: "When I last looked at the plans for this area in the 1970s I was told that King Street was a highway. There seems to be a lot of confusion at the highways department. I want to know if King Street is still classed as a highway.

"What has annoyed me is that the developers didn't even knock on our door and ask us if it was alright to build a wall into the street."

Mr Callaghan says he is simply building the wall on land which is marked out in his deeds. He says: "We have done everything above board. It has been built as an existing wall which is just how it was before.

"The street was overgrown before we started the development and all the residents had was a rabbit run. We are going to limestone the surface and make it much better than it was before.

"We have had no problems from other residents. In fact everyone has been shaking my hand and congratulating me for improving the street."

A Bradford council spokesman says: "According to our records, King Street is a thoroughfare for pedestrians, not a highway for vehicles. We are satisfied that pedestrian rights have been maintained. Planning permission was not required as the wall is less than two metres high."

The development - which is currently being built - will consist of three town houses and two semi-detached properties.

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