PLANS to build new homes on a former Silsden factory have received a mixed response from local councillors.

District and town councillor Adrian Naylor says the extra 24 homes on Elliott Street will reduce the need to build on fields around the town.

But district councillor Andrew Mallinson believes the site, almost opposite Aire View Infant School, might be suitable for much-needed extra school buildings.

Plans were submitted to Bradford Council last month to carry out work at the site of the former Harwal Works, near the Kirkgate canal bridge.

The three-storey main building would be converted to 12 apartments and the adjacent "northlight" sheds would be demolished and replaced with 12 new homes. There would be a new access road.

Silsden has been earmarked for 1,200 new homes over the next few years, with most expected to be built on greenfield sites.

Councillors and residents have called for improved infrastructure to cater for the influx of people, including a new school to ease pressure on Aire View Infant and Hothfield Junior schools.

Cllr Mallinson said Harwal Works had been one of several sites investigated by Bradford Council officers as a potential location for new school buildings.

He favoured putting the housing plans on hold until a full consultation had been carried out into Silsden’s future school needs.

He said: “It’s about what other opportunities there are for that land, for the benefit of Silsden. It’s not a particularly massive site but it’s near Aire View School.”

Cllr Naylor was in favour of Harwal Works being used for housing because it was a brownfield site.

He said: “This would count as part of our overall housing allocation and would reduce the need to build on greenfield sites.

“It was considered very briefly as a potential site for a school but was deemed not big enough.”