How will town cope?

The figure of 1,200 new homes would mean an average of two cars per house, going on for 2,400 more vehicles hitting the village/town. Plus there will be cars that visit these houses.

Silsden cannot cope at the moment with the volume of traffic. At the first sign of any roadworks, traffic lights are put in place and chaos ensues, with vehicles right back to the roundabout and up towards Cringles. Even without any roadworks, at peak times the main street is gridlocked. Before any new building, a by-pass – mentioned in the last unitary plan – is needed.

Where are all these new vehicles going to park in Silsden? There are only two small car parks now, which are always full.

Besides the roads, the other major infrastructures can’t cope with the increase in housing.

If only 100 new houses were built, the electricity company would have to increase the size of its substation and the Aire Valley trunk sewer is at its capacity. Schools are at bursting point. Where are the new children that come into the area going to go?

Silsden now has no banks, with the closure during the past three years of the two we had.

The health centre can’t cope with the current population. We have lived here more than 25 years and have to go to Cross Hills, as you cannot join here. It is the same with the dentist.

Airedale Hospital struggles with the volume of people that attend now. How is it going to manage with not just the new people that will be living in Silsden, but with all the extra people coming into the area with all the new plans for more houses in the Keighley and Craven areas and over the border in Lancashire? The hospital will struggle with the thousands that will bring.

There is no police station in Silsden, which is stupid for the size of the town as it is now, never mind any increase.

We keep hearing that Silsden is great for commuters, with the railway station nearby. Unless you are there by 6.30am to 7am, you have no chance of parking. Where are the new commuters going to park?

During the past 12 months, we have seen new buildings going up in Silsden, for example behind the old Grouse pub, just above the builders’ yard, above the playing fields and on other plots of land, and plans are in for more than 180 new houses in Belton Road. I hope these are included in the 1,200.

All the new houses nowadays are the ugly three-storey type. People are living longer, so why are there no bungalows being built so the older generation can move into them?

It looks like we are going to lose more greenbelt, resulting in damage to trees, hedgerows and wildlife. Yet in the Keighley and Bradford area, there are plenty of brownfield sites that could be developed.

I think the points mentioned show that before any further building goes on in Silsden, the infrastructure needs looking at.

GRAHAM JACKSON Silsden