ONE of Otley's biggest pubs could be demolished and replaced with 14 homes.

An application to knock down the Westbourne pub - built as a road house - and replace it with five blocks of semi-detached houses and one block of four houses has been submitted to Leeds City Council.

The scheme, which has been submitted by Jones Homes (Northern) Ltd, will see access onto Bradford Road.

Some neighbours say although the pub is rarely busy, it would be a shame to knock the building down.

And although they accept houses could be built there, they believe the height of the proposed homes is too high.

Paul Buckley, of Duncan Avenue, said he was not against redevelopment of the site, but thought it would be a shame for the pub to be demolished.

The pub, originally built as a road house some 60 years ago, would have once attracted a lot of custom from people on their way to Leeds and Bradford.

"It is a lovely building, and it would be a shame to replace it with some ugly monstrosity.

"I'm not against anything being built there, but it should be something tasteful and in keeping with the area," he said.

The plan is to build three storey town houses that Mr Buckley says will overlook nearby houses.

"This seems to be a get rich quick scheme to me that will spoil it for everyone," he said.

Councillor Clive Fox (Con, Otley and Wharfedale) said he had mixed feelings about the application and would welcome people's views.

Coun Fox, who sits on the council's Development Control Panel (West) which will determine the application, said: "I can well understand that people locally might regret the loss of yet another local facility, but there would be others who would welcome housing there."

He added that some might prefer more houses in an area already largely residential.

"Some might prefer housing to what is currently a commercial operation with what they regard as something of a nuisance, especially from cars at night."

Coun Fox added that the application did fit in well with government policy which looked for new houses being built on brownfield, previously developed land.

"Certainly the application fits in with government policy, although we would have to look at the proposed densities and design to ensure the development was appropriate."

Coun Graham Kirkland (Lib Dem, Otley and Wharfedale) said he believed it was an over-intensive use of the site.

"It's not such a bad building, I would've thought it would be possible to turn it into flats. I think what they are proposing is an over-intensive use of the site and I'm also worried about the entrance onto Bradford Road."

Keith Bennett, a director of pub company Tom Cobleigh, which owns The Westbourne, said the company constantly reviewed its trading position.

He said the company had been approached by Jones Homes with a view to developing the site. "Some of our properties are more interesting to developers than others. It is a pleasant looking building and from our point of view, we are not looking at anything major."