PLANS to build 35 homes on a green belt site in Ilkley have been approved as it was agreed any "degree of harm" to heritage assets was "outweighed by the need for affordable homes".

At a meeting of the Bradford Council's Regulatory and Appeals Committee, councillors agreed to plans calling for the building of 26 homes and nine apartments on land north of Skipton Road (A65) about 1.4km west of Ilkley town centre.

The committee agreed with a planning officer's recommendation to approve the application to build 24 semi-detached homes, two detached houses and one three-storey block of nine apartments as an any "degree of harm" caused was "outweighed by the need for affordable homes".

Historically, a railway line ran through the northern side of the site, and although the track is no longer present, a railway embankment remains.

The listed Hollin Hall Farm lies to the west of the site and heritage asset Old Mill House also lies nearby.

Recommending approval of the application, Adam Cayton, senior planner for Bradford Council, said: "The land is located in the green belt, which would normally be seen as inappropriate and harmful.

"But the principle of development is acceptable in this instance," he added, saying that it would cause a "less than substantial degree of harm".

"The level of harm is outweighed by the benefits of needed housing provided by this scheme."

Kester Horn, speaking on behalf of social housing provider Stonewater, said: "This development would provide much-needed affordable in the greatest area of need."

When councillors asked about the makeup of homes provided by the scheme, one of the Stonewater representatives confirmed that 60 per-cent of the homes would be social rent with the other 40 per-cent in shared ownership.

In a report provided to council members at the meeting, there were a total of nine objections to the plans, with a number of reasons mentioned including that the site is greenbelt land and that it is out of keeping with the area.

Ilkley Town Council had objected the proposal but they also noted the application "has the potential to address the longstanding need within Ilkley for genuinely affordable housing for the local community".

Mr Cayton also said the number of vehicle movements created by the scheme would "not have a significant impact on the highway network".

The plans include a Section 106 Agreement with a contribution of £16,526.84 towards offsetting recreational pressures arising from the development on the South Pennine Moors SPA/SAC.