OBJECTIONS to a proposed 97 home housing estate in Skipton need to be factual and not emotional, if they are to result in the scheme being refused, warned a Skipton town councillor.

Cllr Jonathan Kerr said the planning authority, Craven District Council, was under government pressure to approve the building of new homes and that strong, sound reasons for refusal would have to be found if the Persimmon Homes scheme off Aldersley Avenue was to be rejected.

He told the town council's plans meeting, attended by about 30 people, that infrastructure should be a prime reason in addition to pressure on schools and services.

He added that the highways authority, North Yorkshire County Council, should also be reminded that only ten years ago it objected against additional housing in the immediate area, because the road network could not cope.

Residents of Moorview Way, Shortbank Road and Aldersley Avenue raised concerns about flooding in the area, particularly after flooding on Boxing Day last year,

The farmer tenant of the land said it currently yielded meat and poultry for residents in the area, and its development would mean a loss of income for him. He was not against new houses, however, but he thought planners must consider the infrastructure and whether the town could cope with so many more homes.

Others spoke of the impact of so many more cars on the approach into Skipton, on top of that already experienced by the new similarly sized Elsey Croft estate, and on schools, such as Greatwood Primary School, which were already full.

Cllr Kerr said:"There is pressure on Craven District Council to approve housing applications which is very hard. We will need very strong planning reasons if we want Craven not to approve this. If it decides to go with public pressure and not approve it, Persimmon will go to the Planning Inspectorate," he said.

"We can come up with emotional reasons, but that will be pointless in the long term, we will need fundamental issues."

He also criticised NYCC highways department for not objecting to similar housing developments and called on county councillors to do their job.

"They should do their job and not be bullied by central government. There are fundamental reasons why we should not have more houses built in that part of town. Developers will want to keep building in Skipton forever, West Yorkshire wants to live in Skipton because it is better than where they live. "

Cllr Chris Harbron, who sits on Craven's planning committee, reassured residents that because the site was outside the development limits of the town, it would be dealt with at planning committee, and not by officers acting under delegated powers.

He said the emerging Craven Local Plan would be used by councillors in their decision making as well as old policies, and that a five year land housing supply would have to be proved.

Councillors voted unanimously to oppose the application, which will be decided by Craven District Council at a future date.