RESIDENTS in Addingham, Ilkley and Burley-in-Wharfedale can breathe a sigh of relief after the publication of the Government inspector's report into the Bradford Unitary Develop-ment Plan (UDP).

Appeals by developers to release large swathes of land from the green belt for new housing have been rejected.

But villagers in Menston could see up to 1,000 new homes built on their doorstep within the next eight years.

The report is the result of a nine-month public inquiry into the council's planning blueprint for the next 15 years.

The UDP spells out where the council would allow developments for housing, industry, shops and offices to take place.

The key priority in the new plan is the re-use of urban and brownfield sites and the safeguarding of greenfield areas.

In Addingham it means that the threat hanging over Manor Garth in the centre of the village will finally be lifted.

After the last UDP public inquiry, the Department of the Environment inspector earmarked part of the green space in the centre of the village as a housing site.

This unexpected move led to protests in the village and started a fight, backed by Bradford Council to preserve it.

The new report, which the council is expected to follow, recommends removing the housing designation from Manor Garth.

Under the latest UDP, planners had sought to include large areas of land surrounding the village in the green belt.

This designation was challenged by developers at the public inquiry but the inspector has backed up the planners.

A large area of land at Southfield Farm between the village and the bypass will be included in the green belt.

And another potential housing site, Wharfe Park, between Bark Lane and Main Street, has also been left unallocated by the inspector, meaning it will not be developed at least for the next 15 years.

Addingham Parish Council chairman Gordon Campbell said he was pleased with the outcome of the inspector's report.

He said: "It is great news for Addingham. We were pleased with the UDP and we are delighted the inspector has backed it. It means that the infrastructure of the village can't change for the forseeable future so we can move on."

And he said that the inspector's decision justified the decision by the parish council to employ a professional planning consultant in the fight against the developers at the public inquiry.

"I am pleased that all the work we put in and the appointment of our professional advisor has proved successful for the village," said Coun Campbell.

In Burley-in-Wharfedale the inspector has backed campaigners who were trying to preserve Burley House Field at St Philip's Drive.

The inspector has recommended that the field be retained as village open space. The only housing site that has been allocated by the inspector in Burley is a plot of land at Endor Crescent, which is big enough for around 35 to 40 houses.

But that site has been reserved for long-term development and won't be used until after 2014.

In Ilkley the UDP had not allocated any more land for housing and the inspector has agreed. This leaves only the former middle school in Valley Drive and the field next to Ashlands School as large potential housing sites in the town.

The Middle School site is big enough for around 60 houses, roughly the same as the Ashlands field.

Anne Hawkesworth, Ilkley District and Parish Councillor who is also head of planning at Bradford, summed up the feeling of residents.

She said: "They were pleased with the plan in the first place. They will be glad the inspector has supported them. He has made a real effort to concentrate development in the urban areas."

But the effect on Menston of the UDP could be devastating. As well as the proposals to build around 550 houses on the site of the former High Royds hospital, the inspector has allocated two further locations for housing.

A site at Derry Hill, with room for 150 houses, and Bingley Road, with room for 300 houses, have both been recommended as housing sites to be removed from the green belt with development taking place after 2009. A site at Bradford Road will be retained in the green belt.

Coun Hawkesworth said: "There is good news in this report for many parts of the district. However, I am unhappy at the inspector's recommendations that we should take even more land out of the green belt."

The council will now consider the report and publish a new plan in response to the inspector's recommendations. The modified plan will be debated by the council's executive committee later this year and will be open to public comment before being ratified by the full council.