The chairman of Ilkley’s largest social landlord wants the boroughs older properties to be refurbished before any new homes are built. Martin Smith is also an Ilkley district councillor and he feels there is very little need for more than 1300 new houses in the town.
Already there has been opposition from residents throughout the area against the proposals outlined by the council in its draft Core Strategy. More than one-hundred people turned up at a recent meeting to voice their opposition to the plans. They brought up concerns on a number of topics including the environment, transport, and the economy. Residents also queried the housing targets and population statistics and how the development would be able to provide affordable homes on what is high value land. Councillor Smith believes the council should repair all of their empty properties, protect them with landlord insurance and give them to families, before new building land is released.
The Councillor said: “The residents and councillors will vigorously challenge the proposals as there is very little need for this number of houses in Ilkley. In housing terms we have recently had 6,000 homes unoccupied in the area. There’s a long way to go yet and a lot of effort will be put in by district and parish councillors to get the right result for Ilkley. We see little strategy relating to transport, schools and infrastructure overall and we, the residents, will have to argue our case against development.”
Councillor Smith wants any development to target brownfield sites, but believes there are areas in the district better suited to development. Residents continue to be on their guard about the plans, saying they do not want do not want Ilkley to be transformed into an unrecognisable place due the greed of others.