A proposed development of apartments for older people has been described by a councillor as looking like 'a prison camp.'

Councillor Graham Latty made the remark after studying plans by McCarthy and Stone Developments for 39 one and two bedroom apartments on a former garage site on Oxford Road, Guiseley.

He said: "My first reaction is that the building looks like Alcatraz, like a prison camp.

"The developers say they are sympathetic to the surroundings, but this is nothing like the local architecture, it looks awful.

"I will be expressing strong reservations about it, it is really a storey too far."

Coun Latty added he also had concerns about the impact on the nearby roads.

"They can't replace a single storey garage with a four storey design, I shall be objecting to it on its sheer size."

The developer says market research has revealed that more than 20 per cent of people within five miles radius are more than 60-years-old. The part three storey and part four storey block would include 15 car parking places, its own house manager, a laundry room, communal lounge and garden.

McCarthy and Stone says the apartments would be close to town centre amenities and a short bus ride to Leeds town centre.

A spokeswoman said: "We have carried out market research and found that there is an unusually high number, 22 per cent, of people within a five-mile radius of the site who are over 60-years-old.

"We do find that a lot of our customers come from the local area because they don't want to move away."