Residents of Elslack are upset about plans to install steel storage containers on an industrial site in the village.

Brooksbank Industries, which manufactures woolcombing aprons and brushes for the textile industry, is seeking planning permission to change the use of land on the western side of the site, off Elslack Lane.

The plans call for the 54 storage containers, each six metres long, to be installed “back to back” in an “island” formation.

North Yorkshire county councillor Patrick Mulligan (Cons), who represents the Airedale ward, said: “These self-storage containers are unrelated to their business and would not be appropriate on this estate.”

Coun Mulligan, who lives in Clogger Lane near the site, said: “It would be bad news for the people living there.”

He said the containers would not be good for the “visual amenity” of the area and there would be a loss of privacy, especially for residents living on adjacent Burwain Castle Road.

Coun Mulligan said several residents were concerned about the plans, and particularly how the containers might be used.

He also said Brooksbank Industries was situated along a busy road, which was accessed by turning from an accident blackspot junction from the A56.

“The traffic that will be coming and going is not appropriate for this estate,” he added.

Craven district councillor Robert Mason (Ind), who represents the West Craven ward, said he had received several complaints about the planning application.

“There has been a bit of discontent about it,” he said. “People are just concerned about what they’re going to contain.”

He also said traffic concerns on a narrow road would be one of the main issues with the application.

John Wharton, the architect who designed the plans, said: “They’re going to be available to rent for self-storage. They would contain domestic effects and could be leased for a set period of time.”

He said individuals or small businesses would be able to hire one or more of the containers at a time.

Mr Wharton said traffic concerns would not be an issue because: “People aren’t going to be coming every day. They’ll come once to fill it up and come again to empty it.”

He also said the proposal for the containers “would make better use of an under-used industrial site”.

Mr Wharton said the containers would be painted a similar colour to the existing industrial building and would be “relatively well set into the agricultural surroundings”.