Guiseley will suffer because of Bradford’s backing for 300 new homes at Menston, it is being claimed.

Councillors for Guiseley and Rawdon have hit out at the decision by Bradford Council to give the go-ahead to the development, which they say will have a huge impact on local services and roads.

They argue the decision, over which they have no control, will give Leeds the pain while Bradford gets the gain.

Coun Graham Latty said: “The decision by Bradford’s planning committee to give the go-ahead to building at Derry Hill in Menston illustrates how joined-up thinking has yet to find a place in planning matters. It is a decision which is made by Bradford with little reference to, or consideration for, residents of Leeds barely a mile away.

“With this decision, several hundred houses will not only turn Menston into a much bigger place, it does it at our expense.

“If you live in Menston, as these new people will, where do you look for shops, schools, doctors and dentists? Not in Bradford. No, you look to Guiseley with its already stretched infra-structure, Guiseley which has yet to find school places for the growing number of first form entry to its infant and primary schools, Guiseley where getting a dentist is harder than finding gold.”

He warned of the impact on the already-burdened A65 and said the final insult was that money from the development to pay for community infrastructure improvements would go to Bradford.

“So, we get the pain, Bradford gets the gain,” he said.

Read more in the Wharfedale Observer.