FLOODING on Boxing Day has highlighted the "folly" of building in areas of Wharfedale, according to an Ilkley councillor.

Bradford councillor Anne Hawkesworth (Ind, Ilkley) says opponents of large-scale development in the valley have repeatedly highlighted the problem of surface water running down the steep-sided valley.

Sites proposed for future development were under water in the recent floods, she said.

Bradford Council is currently holding a public consultation on changes to the Core Strategy of its Local Plan - the central policy document which will govern planning decisions in the district until 2030.

Adjusted housebuilding targets could bring 2,000 new homes in the Ilkley, Burley-in-Wharfedale and Menston area, including a total of 700 in Burley, 600 in Menston and 1,000 in Ilkley.

The consultation ends on January 20.

Cllr Hawkesworth said: "The last few weeks have illustrated harshly the folly of building in certain sections of the valley. The flooding danger, as we have repeatedly said here, is not just from the river but the effect of the run-off from the steep sided valley.

"Moving water through culverts into areas it wasn't meant to go works under normal conditions. However when you have extreme conditions it bubbles up everywhere."

And the problems with drainage have previously been acknowledged, she says.

"Modelling done over ten years ago of the Ilkley drainage system indicated that it could not cope with adverse weather conditions," said Cllr Hawkesworth.

"The Environment Agency were well aware at the time. Bradford, along with Sheffield University, were the leading exponents on the subject.

"The Environment Agency are now calling for a reappraisal of their current practices and necessity to invest on a large scale.Subsequently the whole issue has been scorned as a nil problem when discussions on various planning proposals have been proposed.

"Hopefully before it is too late the stupidity of building on many sites along the A65 will be accepted."

Drainage modelling showed the showed the dangers of increased rain patterns and the impossibility of the urban infrastructure to cope, says Cllr Hawkesworth.

She added: "In Ilkley, it is not so much the fast flowing Wharfe, but the run-off from the moorland and granite hillside which produces the floodplain.

"This illustrated at the time the stupidity of building on the flood plain along the Valley from Ilkley to Burley. Environmental engineers have currently been turning a blind eye due to changing view of Environment Agency."

Meanwhile, in the the Keighley area, MP Kris Hopkins visited flood-hit areas with Northern Powerhouse minister, James Wharton.

Mr Hopkins said: "My sympathies go out to residents who right across my constituency who've lost valuables and seen their properties damaged. This has had a huge impact.

"I'm never shy of having a go at the Council when they do things poorly, but this time people have worked exceptionally hard to support residents.

"I've spoken to the Secretary of State for the Environment and she assured me that Keighley and Ilkley were going to get part of the deal that was initially just meant for Cumbria. This is worth up to £5,000 per home that's been damaged."