Developers may concrete over huge swathes of green belt land in Airedale under proposals to build more than 10,000 homes.

But Bradford Councillor David Heseltine said planners may be “killing the golden goose” by turning distinct villages with their own local economies and identities into a massive area of urban sprawl.

Bradford Council is currently consulting the public on proposals for the Local Development Framework (LDF), a plan to shape the future of housing across the district.

Under the proposals, Keighley will see an increase of up to 5,000 homes, Bingley 1,600, east and south Silsden 1,700 and east and west Steeton 800 new homes, all by 2028.

That could involve green belt “deletions”, according to proposals, which would effectively allow developers to build on protected land if no other previously developed land is available.

Coun Heseltine (Con, Bingley) said: “My major concern is over the green belt.

“This means some of our wonderful countryside, the thing that makes this part of the Aire Valley special and a pleasant place to live, will disappear under concrete.

“It is part of our uniqueness in the Aire Valley, having a number of towns and villages and we are just going to become just an awful sprawl.”