A former textile factory where 90 workers lost their jobs could become a housing estate.

A Harrogate property developer snapped up former Pennine Fibres in Denholme and now wants to clear the site for a residential development.

Commercial Estates Projects (CEP) has submitted an outline planning application to Bradford Council planning chiefs for the two-and-a-half hectare site.

The company bought the former New Road factory after Pennine Fibres folded in June 2005.

The polyester fibre producer had been struggling to cope with cheap imports from China and faced difficulties finding scrap plastic to recycle into polyester yarn.

CEP held a public exhibition on the proposals in March and asked people to complete a questionnaire.

The company said 75 per cent of the 55 respondents said they supported the redevelopment of the site for housing.

The consultation revealed that some people were concerned about the impact new residents would have on Denholme's already stretched health facilities, pressure on space at Denholme Primary School, traffic congestion and inadequate bus services.

In documents supporting the application, CEP said it would look into providing a medical centre at the development, commission a highway survey and hoped to provide an open space and recreation facilities.

CEP said it intended to provide different types and sizes of properties on the site, including low cost housing.

The company, which has held formal meetings with Denholme Town Council over the plans, said remediation work would probably be needed in light of the site's former industrial use.

It added that estate agent and chartered surveyor Dale Eddison had received no firm offers of interest from businesses wanting to move on to the site.

The Mayor of Denholme, Councillor Maxine Brotherton, said she had yet to see the plans submitted to Bradford Council, but was broadly in support of redeveloping the disused site.

"The site clearly needs putting to another use," she said. "I was pleased to see a developer consulting the community about its plans. That is something I have not seen before for a development like this in Denholme."