Residents are fighting plans for a second major housing development in their village.

They want to throw out a scheme to build 41 new homes on a field off Effingham Road, Harden, near Bingley.

Objectors say the proposal would massively increase traffic congestion in the quiet village, particularly on Cliffe Avenue, which would be used as the main access to the new estate.

Protesters are already drawing up letters opposing the plan which they will send to Bradford Council before a deadline of Friday, February 13.

And Harden Village Society is lending its support to the fight.

The application has been submitted to Bradford Council by Leeds-based developer David Wilson Homes. It follows hot on the heels of an even larger housing development on the nearby site of the former Ellison Circlips factory in Harden.

Retired fish and chip shop owner Geoff Helliwell, of Cliffe Avenue, Harden, said he was concerned that roads in the village would not be able to cope with the extra traffic generated by any new homes off Effingham Road.

"At the moment, Cliffe Avenue is quite quiet but 41 houses means at least 60 cars because they are four or five bedrooms," he said.

"That's going to make it really busy and the road gets very narrow in places. It's going to have a knock-on effect through to Wilsden and down in Bingley, which is horrendous enough as it is.

"We just feel that the general congestion in Harden is bad enough already, with another 80 homes over at the Ellison Circlips site. It's got to stop somewhere. It seems ridiculous when you think there are still plenty of empty houses around to be building like this."

Douglas Archer, chairman of Harden Village Society, said: "Our main concern is the traffic congestion that will be stimulated.

"There are enough problems already throughout the village without this and I don't see how Cliffe Avenue is going to stand it."

Mr Archer said the developer had been sympathetic to villagers' concerns up to now. It had originally planned to apply for permission to build more than 70 homes on the site but had scaled down the scheme.

Nobody from David Wilson Homes was available to comment today. The application is expected to be considered by Bradford Council planners next month.

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