A COUNCILLOR has said plans to build 1,000 new homes in Ilkley over the next 14 years are "as bad as it gets" after Bradford Council's Core Strategy Development Plan was largely ratified by a Planning Inspector.

Cllr Hawkesworth (Ind, Ilkley) said: "All objections as to infrastructure, education and transportation have been swept aside as not strategic and are to be dealt with by individual planning applications, which is hardly the way to protect one of the most beautiful areas of the country.

“Blame must rest not only with Government, but with the five West Yorkshire authorities who are more interested in fighting between themselves than fighting for a strategic solution to housing needs in the county.

"We need a new town with good transport links on land of less environmental and desirable character.

“I call on the local MPs to put forward this case to the government, after all there is a new minister who is not bound by the developer friendly policies of his predecessor.”