Addingham Parish Council held a public meeting to raise awareness that residents can now comment on Bradford’s Core Strategy.

Over 70 people attended the event at Bracken Ghyll Golf Club and following a brief overview of the main elements of the Core Strategy there was a lively question and answer session.

The Core Strategy is the central part of the forthcoming Bradford District Local Plan and currently recommends 200 new homes should be build in the village by 2030.

Councillor Adrian Naylor said: “Unfortunately Bradford Council will not be able to provide any officers to attend public meetings during the consultation phase so the Parish Council felt it was necessary to hold its own meeting.

“The Parish Council was also very concerned that the documents which make up the Core Strategy are six inches thick and very difficult to cross reference if you are viewing them on line.

It was the clear view of the meeting that not everyone had access to the internet and would be forced to travel to Ilkley Library to see the nearest hard copy.”

Councillor Catherine Coates, chairman of Addingham Parish Council, said: “We were concerned that everyone should have access to a copy of the Core Strategy so we have purchased a copy at a cost of £140 which we have placed in the library.

“On the days the library is shut, Mondays and Wednesdays, it can be viewed by appointment in the Old School Room above the library.”

The period for making comment to Bradford Council closes on March 31.