Angry residents are set to vent their feelings on parish representatives today over their decision to vote in favour of developing a controversial housing site.

A piece of land in Sutton, known locally as Alvic Field, has been bought by housing firm Britannia which plans to build 25 homes on the site.

But the land is earmarked as green space on Craven's future planning blueprint after district councillors mounted a bid to save it.

However, members of Sutton Parish Council's planning committee voted earlier this month to allow development because they wanted to see the land tidied up.

Now it is feared if the plan gets the go-ahead it will cast doubt on the future of other green spaces across Craven.

Residents living near the field intend to converge on the parish council at its monthly meeting today in a bid to make it change its mind.

Householders have had leaflets drop through their letterboxes urging them to attend.

"We want as many people to go to the parish council meeting as possible to let them know how we feel," said residents' spokesman Barry Duce.

"There's a lot of ill feeling and upset over what the council has done."

Mr Duce added that residents did not want houses built on the site for a number of reasons.

"The people who live opposite don't want another access near their homes and there are feelings that the infrastructure in Sutton just won't be able to cope.

"If there's a large number of residents at the next parish council meeting it will at least give the councillors the opinion of the people who live nearby."

The parish council's decision has already been condemned by Craven's planning chairman Ken Hart and fellow district councillor Steve Place.

Britannia's housing plan is set to go before Craven District Council planning committee in the next few weeks.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.