A planned 198-home development in Eastburn was the major topic of a housing meeting in the village. Angry residents voiced fears that the proposed Taywood Homes estate in fields next to Airedale Hospital would spell the end of village life.

"We're trying to keep Eastburn as a village for our future generations so they won't get on a bus in Cowling and drive past houses all the way to Bradford," said one woman.

Steeton-with-Eastburn parish council hosted the meeting so Bradford council could consult villagers on its future planning, housing and transport strategies. Council housing officers Andy Haigh and Andrew Marshall said they wanted to hear residents' views about Eastburn's needs over the next 10 or 15 years.

Local people have until January 7 to send their ideas and opinions to the council, before it prepares the first draft of the next Unitary Development Plan.

Mr Haigh said the council wanted to make urban areas attractive so less people would want to move to the countryside, and ensure amenities like public transport were in the right place for residents. Eastburn villagers demanded to know why the current UDP continues to earmark the proposed Taywood Homes site as suitable for housing.

Their concerns included potential traffic problems, loss of land for hospital expansion, the effect on wildlife and how the nearby Eastburn First School would be affected.

One young woman said: "We're not short-sighted, we know you have to build houses, but does it have to be so many? We live here because we like it as a village. You're turning it into a concrete jungle."

Mr Haigh told villagers the council must follow national guidelines when deciding planning applications, and must abide by the current UDP map until the new version is finalised.

He finished by saying: "I've got the very clear message from this meeting that you want no more development."

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