HOUSING plans for an Otley industrial site have been met with anger by councillors and business leaders.

It had been expected that Ashfield Works, off Westgate, would eventually be redeveloped with a mixture of shops, businesses and housing.

But Leeds City Council, which owns the site, says it is too far out of the town centre for shops and is now looking at 'alternative uses'.

Meanwhile, Richard Jefferies, owner of Jefferies Transport, the largest tenant on the site, says he believes out of town retail sites have had their day.

Trevor Backhouse, president of the Otley Chamber of Trade and Commerce, whose shop, Patisserie Viennoise is directly opposite the site, said: "There is a parade of shops right up to mine and beyond all the way to Safeways.

"To say the site is too far out of town shows that Leeds is just out of touch, are they saying they just want the heart of the town to develop?"

Mr Backhouse, whose shop has just experienced the best Christmas sales ever, said he was not against housing, but would prefer to see a mixed development.

Town councillor Colin Campbell claimed Leeds City Council had allowed the Ashfield Works site to become derelict.

"We were always promised that when redevelopment took place it would be part of a mixed scheme designed to encourage people back into the town centre. To abandon that idea is short sighted."

He said past proposals put forward as a joint town and city council scheme had included affordable housing.

"This would have been linked to the provision of a new library and council service point. Included in the proposals would have been a retail or commercial or hotel development which would have provided the funding for services for all the community."

Coun Campbell said he would continue to fight for the kind of development he felt was right for the town.

"We believe that consultation on the area's future should have taken place before a decision was made and not after. This is another example of the arrogance of Leeds in making decisions about what they think is best for Otley."

Haulage boss Richard Jefferies, who has been on the site for 30 years, said he had not been given any idea when the site was to be vacated.

"There are retail outlets on the outskirts of every town, they're just so common now. I think it's more a case of the site going to the highest bidder," said Mr Jefferies.

After being in the town for 30 years, Mr Jefferies said he would be reluctant to leave and would ideally like to relocate to a site close to the East of Otley relief road - currently under consideration.

"It would be ideal for us," he said.

A spokeswoman for Leeds City Council said: "The redevelopment potential of Ashfield works has been recognised, and was discussed by Executive Board members on November 13 as part of the council's response to the market towns initiative.

"Members agreed that the site was not appropriate for retail purposes in view of the fact the site lies outside the town centre.

"A planning brief will be prepared which will highlight alternative uses for the site. This will be presented to ward members, lead members, members of Otley Town Council and the Community Involvement Team."