ANXIOUS bosses at Leeds City Council have defended their decision to fight multi-million pound plans for a major industrial park in Keighley.

Speaking this week, the authority said it had taken the “very rare” step of objecting to a neighbouring council’s decision amid fears the massive development – on a River Aire flood plain – could force torrents downstream.

Bradford councillors approved the nine-unit scheme – off Royd Ings Avenue – in June, despite concerns raised

by the council’s own officers and the Environment Agency.

Developers say the units would be built on stilts, to avoid any water displacement, and that the project would

create hundreds of jobs and generate up to £60 million of investment.

But Leeds City Council is unmoved and has written to the Government pressing for the decision to be reversed.

Executive member for regeneration, transport and planning, Councillor Richard Lewis, said: “It is very rare for us to take this step of formally objecting to a decision made by a neighbouring authority, but in this case we think it is needed due to the major concerns we have.

“While appreciating the importance of supporting economic growth, that is overridden in this case by the threat to safety it could cause to our communities so that is why we are calling for the Government to step in and look at this.”

However, Ian Hayfield, a chartered surveyor and co-founder of company Hayfield Robinson, who is representing the applicants, emphasised that the special design of the intended buildings will mean no water will be displaced from the site.

He said: “This is by accounting for any volume of structure proposed in the area utilised for flood storage. We’ll minimise the volume of structure by incorporating voids, and offsetting any structure with a reduced ground level. I must stress this will be the largest private economic investment the area has ever seen, and will provide employment during its construction and once fully operational .

“It’s very important to acknowledge that after many months Bradford councillors reviewed all the available information and came to a very measured decision – a decision which, in my firm opinion, will aid economic growth both locally and regionally.”

Keighley MP John Grogan said: “Bradford Council’s planning committee were obviously convinced by the developer’s argument that because of the innovative use of stilts and voids there would be no impact on water levels further down the River Aire. Such technology has been used successfully in Holland.

“Leeds City Council is very sensitive to flooding issues because of the impact of the Boxing Day floods on the city centre a few years ago. I hope, though, they will carefully examine the evidence as opposed to the headlines, as I think in this instance they have overreacted.”

The application, by PH Holdings, was approved by Bradford’s Regulatory and Appeals Committee in June.