PLANNERS have rejected an outline application to build 22 further dwellings on a greenfield site at Townhead, in Settle.

Craven District Council's planning committee agreed that the site was outside the defined development limit boundaries of the Local Plan and did not meet the "exception site" criteria for affordable housing for local people.

Settle Town Council had objected to the plans, stating there was already sufficient residential development in the Townhead area.

The application site comprised a field to the north of a recently completed development of 28 houses, with 10 offered as affordable homes.

The latest scheme was for six two-bed flats, eight two-bed houses and eight three-bed houses. Two of the flats and three two-bed houses would have been available for rent through a social landlord, while two flats, two, two-bed houses and one three-bed house were to be discounted with local occupancy agreements.

The remaining properties would have been sold at full market value, but for the first 21 days would only be available for purchase by people meeting local occupancy restrictions.

However, the council's housing monitoring data indicates that the housing requirements for the period 1991 to 2006 have been met without the need for the release of additional unidentified land for residential development.

Although the land could be considered as an exception site under adopted Local Plan policy, it failed to meet five aspects of the criteria.

Speaking in favour of the development, Jim Sheppard, manager for social housing group Home Housing said: "We accept there has been substantial development in Settle, but people have been buying into fairly expensive houses.

"One of our concerns with Craven is the exodus of young families from the area. The principle of buying open market housing on a site like this is not unique and is a genuine attempt, after we have looked at what is going on in the area, to find local housing for local people."

Coun Marcia Turner said she was concerned the application seemed to be pushing for affordable housing when it had not been officially decided where in Craven such homes were needed.

She also doubted whether any house could reasonably be sold within the 21-day time period which the developers wanted to put on the open market houses.

Coun Robert Heseltine added: "Without doubt there is a difference of opinion whether there is a housing need in or around Settle. If there isn't now, there certainly will be in a year or two's time."

Several letters of objection had been received from Settle residents who stated that the proposed new homes would make a bad site worse visually.

The development could be seen clearly, not only from the high road, but also from the new Settle Loop.

Committee members backed officer recommendation to reject the application on the grounds that it lay in open countryside outside the development boundaries and did not meet local housing exception site criteria.