PEOPLE behind an angry campaign against a major housing development in Guiseley are on the brink of an important victory.

Furious Back Lane residents were so opposed to plans for houses and flats that their campaign sparked two public meetings attended by hundreds of people and a 400-name petition against the development.

And city councillors this week agreed with them that Persimmon Homes' proposals for 69 flats up to five storeys high, 28 houses and ten maisonettes on the former YEB site were unacceptable and will be turned down when the planning committee meets again next month.

One of the campaigners fighting against the development. resident Dennis Conlon, said he was happy that the plans were likely to be turned down.

He said: "This is very good news. It shows that our campaign has been listened to and that people have taken notice of the large number of objections and the residents' campaign.

"I would have been happier if I had heard for definite that it had been thrown out by the council because the planners report does show that there is no reason for it to go ahead."

Mr Conlon said that he was confident that this particular application had been stopped.

"I appreciate Persimmon could appeal, but if they want to do that then let them waste their money

"Our campaign has worked so far and the council's report reiterates our view that there is no justification for this particular development."

A report to the Development Control Panel West on Tuesday said that the development was 'unsatisfactory' and that revised plans reducing the number of dwellings from 117 to 108 still did not address a number of concerns.

The council fears that the density, character and design of the plans are incongruous with the area and would not respect the community or residential amenity of existing properties.

They also point to the loss of a number of preserved trees, that the development would over-dominate the adjoining terrace, that there is no provision for affordable housing and a lack of greenspace within the development.

Councillors agreed to defer refusing the application for another month as it was unclear whether they could also add potential highways and access issues to the reasons for refusal.

Panel chairman Councillor Malcolm Bedford (Lab, Wortley) said it was necessary to get the reasons for refusal right should the developers go to appeal, and that the council and Persimmon were still working on ways to address that issue.

"Next meeting we can either refuse it for all five reasons, including highways, or four if we can sort that side of things out," he said.

Protests against the plans include 225 letters of objection, a petition of 433 signatures and letters of objection from Paul Truswell MP and Councillor Graham Latty (Cons, Aireborough).

Persimmon was available for comment at the time of going to press.