A COUNCILLOR has voiced concerns that Silsden could be left without enough commercial buildings after plans to convert one into homes was approved.

Councillor Rebecca Whitaker was speaking out against an application to convert a workshop in the centre of the town, occupied by A & A Lampkin LTD into six homes.

The planning application was approved by members of Bradford Council''s Keighley and Shipley Area Committee at a meeting yesterday, where members were told the company was winding down, and likely to close soon due to a fall in business.

The company had proposed turning the workshop, on Greengate, into three houses, and building three new houses next to it.

There had been objections that the homes would lead to an increase in traffic on the unadopted road.

But officers pointed out that if a new business were to move into the workshop it could lead to much more traffic than the road currently experienced.

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Other businesses based on the road have also been granted permission to be converted into housing.

The company had said orders were falling, and that there was little interest in the building from other businesses.

Any companies moving to the area were more likely to set up in new build developments in the town - Councillors were told.

Members were shown photos of large delivery vehicles struggling to navigate the street, and highways officers said the move to residential would reduce such traffic.

Cllr Whitaker (Cons, Craven) said: "Silsden is a growing town. If we start converting every employment building we might end up 10 years down the line and realise there aren't any buildings available for new businesses because we've changed them all to housing."

She also pointed out how dangerous it was pulling out of Greengate onto Skipton Road.

Members voted to approve the plans on the condition the junction with Skipton Road is made safer through a traffic regulation order.