PARISH councillors have objected to an application for 20 more new homes in Sutton-in-Craven.

Applicant Ms J Rushworth is seeking planning permission to build 20 houses on land adjacent to Greenroyd Drive and Harper Grove.

In a planning statement prepared by agent Michael Widdup, he writes: "It is considered that a development of the site with residential use would represent a natural extension of Greenroyd Drive, and the overall pattern of settlement and open landscape would not be adversely altered."

Sutton-in-Craven Parish Council objected to the plans when it met earlier this month.

Chairman Steve Morrell said: "Our concern was to do with the plan being outside the development limits of the village and that the new homes would put undue pressure on traffic in the village.

"The traffic situation is pretty intense in Sutton," he said. "If we're going to have more development, we need to look at issues regarding the infrastructure. We're getting traffic gridlock at school run times in the morning and afternoon.

"We've got one of the biggest secondary schools in the whole of Yorkshire on the border of our village."

Cllr Morrell explained Sutton had been consulted by Craven District Council on proposals for the new district local plan, but was disappointed the parish council's suggestions were not being considered.

"We've gone to a great deal of trouble to identify sites to be developed," said Cllr Morrell. "Craven District Council totally brushed aside all our options and came up with their own plans.

"They've come up with the maximum amount of development without regards for the needs of the village.

"We prefer smaller-scale projects and don't want big developments that would impact the footprint of the infrastructure or the rural image of the village."

His concerns come as the parish council is due to meet to discuss controversial outline proposals to build 50 homes in green fields off Main Street and Sutton Lane, opposite Sutton Cricket Club and Royd Hill Nursing Home.

David Smurthwaite, Craven District Council's strategic manager for planning and regeneration, said: “The site at Sutton Lane was included in the draft local plan for consultation as a preferred site for housing development in Oct/Nov 2014.

"The council received 81 letters of objection to the inclusion of the site in the draft local plan. Respondents raised concerns that the site is in a prominent greenfield location which provides valuable agricultural land and wildlife habitat and that development of the site would mean that Sutton would lose its rural identity and no longer be separate from neighbouring villages in Bradford Met.

"All the responses to the draft local plan, including those from Sutton Parish Council, were reported to the spatial planning sub-committee yesterday.

"Further work on the local plan, including a review of sites is ongoing and a revised draft will be produced later this year.

"It is important to remember, however, that the preparation of local plans and the consideration of planning applications are two entirely separate processes.

"The council is obliged to consider planning applications, whenever they are submitted, on their own individual merits within the context of current local and national planning policy and taking into account representations made during consultation on the planning application.”