Plans for a controversial car park at an Aire Valley beauty spot have been withdrawn.

Last night, a councillor said she hoped people power had led to the plan being scrapped.

The Hartley Property Trust wanted to build the 52-space car park in Saltaire and lodged a planning application with Bradford Council last month.

It received a thumbs down from local residents and groups, including Saltaire Angling Association which wanted the land, between the Boathouse pub and the Leeds-Liverpool Canal, returned to its original use as an ornamental garden.

Council officer Anne Heeley had said the car park could ruin the habitat of wildlife at the site in Victoria Road.

Many people contacted Councillor Hawarun Hussain (Green, Shipley) asking her to object to the plans on their behalf.

Last night, she said she hoped they had been listened to by the developers.

“I’m hoping they have thought about people's reaction,” she said. “I don’t think it’s the right place for a car park.”

Coun Hussain said a lot of work had been done to improve nearby Roberts Park and the River Aire and the car park would have undone those improvements.

“I’d like to see more trees, an area where people can go and have picnics and somewhere people can  be a bit more active,” she said.

The company withdrew its planning application by e-mail on Monday.

People living at the nearby Riverside Court apartments cautiously welcomed the news.

Les Brook, from the Riverside Court Management Company, said: “We are pleased, but worried about the possibility of them resubmitting a plan.”