BUSINESS and housing plans for a vandal-hit former riverside mill in Horsforth have been revealed.

Three years after a plan for up to 350 new homes at the site of Riverside Mill, off Low Hall Road was withdrawn - just before planners were expected to turn it down anyway - developers have revealed a mixed scheme with roughly half the number of homes.

Instead of outline plans for between 300 and 350 new homes, the Horsforth Riverside Partnership, part of original applicants the Pemberstone Group Ltd, wants to build 150 homes. In addition, the scheme will include business units covering 5,000 square metres, creating up to 150 jobs.

But the plan has already fallen foul of one Horsforth councillor who believes councillors should have seen the plans first.

And Councillor Brian Cleasby (Lib Dem, Horsforth) also believes the best use of the mill site would be further industrial use.

"Houses would be unsustainable there. It is not on the bus route and there are no services, families would find it difficult to get doctors up there."

The plan, which is due to be revealed to the public at an exhibition next week at St Margaret's Church Hall, also includes access improvements onto the A6120 ring road and a new bus service.

Horsforth Riverside spokesman Andrew Bruckland said: "Regeneration of brownfield land is in line with government policy that seeks to reduce pressure to build on greenfield sites and we are proposing a well-balanced mix of uses that provides a modern work environment with homes nearby."

He added: "We would see the development as particularly suiting smaller entrepreneurial businesses, benefiting from 5,000 square meters of employment space. The balance will be approximately 150 homes with a generous provision of open space."

Included in the proposals are road access, improvements onto the A6120 ring road - aimed at benefiting both new and existing users and the introduction of a bus service to serve the development.

Since its closure in 2001, the former textile dye works has been repeatedly vandalised and has in the past been occupied by travellers. It has also been set on fire by vandals.

In 2002, the outline plan for up to 350 new homes was withdrawn after substantial opposition, including from business Clariant UK Ltd, which occupies the site next door.

Clariant claimed that the housing development could restrict investment in its industrial site - because of potential safety fears close to housing - while residents feared in-creased traffic onto Low Hall Road.

Coun Cleasby added he would not like to see any development at the site which could put in jeopardy the future of Clariant, a very successful business in the area.

"I would fall over myself for industrial, but not housing - where are they going to get all their services?"

But a spokesman for the project said early discussions had taken place with Clariant and it was hoped that the company's last objections could be solved.

"We do believe that the proposed development can live side by side with Clariant. The business park will act as a buffer between Clariant and any new residential scheme."

He added that proposed junction improvements would bring benefits to all, not just the new development.

l The display at St Margaret's Church Hall, Hall Lane, will take place on Wednesday from noon to 7pm and on Thursday from 8.30am to 7pm.