Residents and community organisations spoke out on proposed Bradford District housing targets at a public meeting called by Ilkley Parish Council on Monday.

More than 100 people attended the meeting at Ilkley Rugby Club over Bradford Council’s proposed Local Development Framework (LDF).

The parish council called the meeting to gather public views on the district-wide LDF, which could bring as many as 3,000 new houses to Wharfedale – 1,300 of which may be in Ilkley itself.

Bradford Council is currently consulting on its draft Core Strategy, the central policy document of the LDF, which is expected to influence planning and other local authority decisions from around 2013 to 2028. Consultation ends on January 20.

The current version of the strategy sets a house building target of 45,000 new homes across the Bradford District The LDF could also see ten hectares of land in Wharfedale designated potential employment land.

Residents questioned the housing targets and conflicting planning guidance, the ability to provide affordable homes on high-value Ilkley land, the impact on the local infrastructure and businesses, and potential urban sprawl.

Ben Rhydding resident, Sandy Macpherson, accused Bradford Council of “consistently and dishonestly” overestimating population increases.

Residents questioned whether development in Ilkley could ever supply affordable housing sought by Bradford Council – one speaker claiming truly affordable housing was an “utter myth”.

One woman asked if allowing developers to build high profit yield housing in Ilkley would hamper efforts to persuade developers to create homes where there is the greatest need, in the centre of Bradford and Keighley.

She said: “It’s not about whether we are nimbys, it’s about whether we want to work with fellow communities in other parts of the Bradford district who may need houses where they already live.”

There were calls to make sure infrastructure improvements were in place before there is any development.

Former councillor, Barbara Cussons, claimed the town’s infrastructure was already at saturation point. Other residents spoke out on traffic congestion, and need for a large car park.

A mother-of-three told the meeting of existing pressure for primary school places and even same-day GP appointments in town.

Head of Ilkley Design Statement Group, Tony Emmott, asked if the local authority could put a freeze on any more development until the town can assimilate the effect of the new Tesco store opening.

Other speakers said housing should be provided in areas where new employment is likely to be – such as closer to Leeds.

The LDF consultation process itself was also attacked.

It was claimed that not all the relevant LDF documentation was readily available to the public, and Ilkley Civic Society’s Helen Kidman branded consultation a “tick box exercise”.

Another speaker said it was well known in local government that consultations should avoid holiday periods such as Christmas.

Ilkley parish councillor, Paul Kitching, urged as many people as possible to send individual responses to Bradford Council by January 20, as well as contacting the parish council. He was pleased to see so many people already involved, but he fears other parts of the community are “sleepwalking” through the LDF process.

Consultation on the formal designation specific housing land is expected to take place next year.