Planning bosses have come under fire from residents who tried to prevent a housing development.

Despite objections from Addingham residents, a district councillor and the parish council, members of the Keighley Area Planning Panel gave the go-ahead to a planning application for four three-storey houses in Stonycroft, Turner Lane.

After the meeting the panel chairman, Wharfedale councillor Chris Greaves, said: “They are high-quality buildings with lots of car parking. The way they are designed fits.

“They are digging right down so three storeys are no higher than the semis.”

But parish councillor Sheila McLachlan said the panel should have visited the site to see the issues for themselves.

“I feel we were simply ignored,” she said. “The outcome is unsatisfactory. There are now a lot of unhappy residents in Turner Lane and at the top of Moor Park Drive.”

Coun Greaves said site visits were only carried out when members of the panel felt they needed more information after looking at photographs and seeing a presentation by a planning officer. He said all members felt they had enough information.