A businessman fears he could lose thousands of pounds a month because another company is stopping heavy vehicles getting to his garage.

Christopher Jackson, proprietor of CJ Motors on the Bridgehouse Mills industrial site, in Haworth, said Skipton Properties had placed boulders around part of the complex, blocking his access route.

"They put down about four wagon loads of boulders around their land two months ago," he said.

"I said to the men 'you're not going to put them there are you?'

"I told them if they placed them at the entrance I wouldn't be able to get my wagons in."

He said the obstacles were initially sited so that heavy vehicles would still be able to reach his garage.

However, he added that on February 16 the boulders were moved so that only cars and vans would be able to pass.

"I could lose about £2,000 a month. I can't afford that," he said.

"I contacted Skipton Properties' office and at first I was ignored.

"Then I got a phone call from one of their solicitors saying that as far as they were concerned I did not have a right of access."

Skipton Properties spokeswoman Janet Campbell said the firm was trying to protect the site from trespassers by limiting vehicle access.

She said: "On January 17 an estimated £150,000 worth of damage was done in an arson attack.

"So we felt it necessary to take further protective measures, including placing boulders to reduce vehicle access to the property. There are some very limited rights of access across parts of our property.

"None of the steps we have taken, including the boulders, have interfered with those rights.

"The complainants referred to may have some rights but not what they claim.

"All Skipton Properties has done is act legally and responsibly to protect the public and our property," she said.

However, the decision to install the boulders has been criticised by others who own property on the site.

Jim Attwood, who owns Silverhill Design, a furniture makers, said Skipton Properties gave him no advance warning that it would be stopping large vehicles getting to the yard.

He said: "When I have timber deliveries they come in quite large wagons and they back right up to the building's loading bay.

"They won't be able to do that anymore. The timber will have to be unloaded on the road outside and walked round."

Joe Emmott, who owns a storage and packing unit at Bridgehouse Mills, complained that business owners were having their legitimate rights of access blocked. He warned that the boulders could also prevent emergency vehicles reaching the site, which had suffered three fires in less than two months.

The latest blaze broke out in a derelict outbuilding on the site during the evening of February 15.

Keighley fire officer John Musto said he thought it was started deliberately.