DEVELOPERS with plans for a major housing scheme in Ben Rhydding should go back to the drawing board, campaigners say.

And the architect in charge of the project said he would be happy to try and grant their wishes.

Local residents, members of the civic society and parish councillors are united in opposing the scheme which would see the demolition of five houses on Valley Drive.

The houses, which have long gardens backing onto the railway line, would be replaced with 23 new houses.

Nearby residents of Grange Close and Greendown Close have met to formulate a co-ordinated opposition to the plan.

One of them, Margaret Welch, of Grange Close, said people from nearby Hampshire Close and St Helen's Way have also expressed their opposition to the development.

Mrs Welch said: "Apart from the destruction of these houses, hedges, trees and shrubs are also to be sacrificed. This area is presently a wildlife haven, frequented by and home to a wide variety of birds and insects.

"Recently we have seen orange-tip butterflies and one or two peacock butterflies emerging from hibernation. Looking at an area map of Ben Rhydding one can see that this strip of land is a remaining green lung in an already built up district."

Residents were also worried about the extra traffic which would be generated by the development if it was allowed to go ahead. An access route is planned from Grange Close.

"In an area already problematic in terms of parking, this additional traffic could be extremely hazardous," Mrs Welch said.

The development has been proposed by Ripon-based architect, Mark Sturgess.

He says that the properties intended to be knocked down are in need of repairs unlikely to be completed by their present owners.

In a statement supporting the planning application, he says: "These properties require considerable investment to bring them up to modern standards and the owners are unlikely to recoup this value if they wish to sell the properties in the foreseeable future. This much needed maintenance is unlikely to take place."

If the seven detached, six semi-detached and 10 terraced houses are allowed to be built, they would sell for between £180,000 and £225,000.

As far as the traffic situation is concerned, Mr Sturgess says: "We understand our scheme will create some additional traffic movements along a short stretch of Grange Close, however, our layout meets all highway criteria and Grange Close is of adequate standard to cope with the extra traffic."

He added: "We believe that our scheme will prove to be a benefit to Ben Rhydding and Ilkley by providing the type of accommodation needed in order to stop young families migrating away from the area."

Ilkley Civic Society has objected to the development in a letter sent both to the Ilkley Parish Council planning committee and the Keighley Area Planning Panel, which will make the ultimate decision on the scheme in the next few weeks.

Civic Society chairman Helen Kidman said: "We did not want the mock Tudor houses to come down and wanted more trees retained."

Mrs Kidman said that members were also concerned about the extra vehicles generated on Valley Drive which has two schools and is on a bus route.

However, the society were not against the development of the land in principle but preferred a less ambitious develpment on the site and wanted to see a detailed plan of the effect on

local drains the 23 new houses would have.

Last week the scheme was given the thumbs down by the Ilkley Parish Council planning committee.

Councillor Kate Brown, a member of the committee, said: "We are not against development in principle on this site but we feel this is over-development. We would prefer to see the original houses at the front retained with access to Valley Drive.

"It is going to create pressures on Grange Close and affect the residents. We would like them to come back with a more acceptable plan because development on that site would ease the pressure on the green belt."

Mr Sturgess told the Gazette that he was quite willing to amend the scheme on the advice of the planners and taking into account the objections.

He said that highway and planning officers from Bradford Council would be making a site visit this week to ascertain if any improvements could be made.

Mr Sturgess said: "We have to take objections into account and we are quite willing to amend plans

accordingly."