PEOPLE who are proud of Ilkley must be breathing a sigh of relief now that planning bosses have embraced the town's Design Statement with open arms. And the decision to take further steps toward giving Ben Rhydding and Middleton their own conservation areas is an added bonus.

In many ways the planners in Bradford have been crying out for help when it comes to banishing the demons of unwanted, profit-driven development. The decisions taken by the Keighley area planning panel are subject to scrutiny by the Government, planning consultants and lawyers.

When there is so much money involved, developers do not miss a trick when it comes to challenging planning decisions and getting their own way. And planning chiefs can be severely hamstrung by the strict rules which govern the decisions they make.

General outrage that a housing scheme will ruin the 'character' of an area is not enough reason to throw it out, according to Government rules - especially in the case of in-fill development which is seen to be preferable to despoiling the green belt. Ilkley is in some respects, a victim of its own success.

A vague consensus that the new block of flats or executive housing estate would not be quite right for the area cuts little ice with the strict terms of Supplementary Planning Guidance.

In many cases planning officers can do little to prevent the developers getting their own way. The adoption of the Ilkley Design Statement as a 'material consideration' when making planning decisions and the establishment of Conservation Area status for Ben Rhydding and Middleton will not solve all the problems.

But at least the planning chiefs will have another weapon in their armoury in the war against development blight.