ILKLEY, Burley-in-Wharfedale and Menston have been earmarked for hundreds more proposed new houses in a U-turn by Bradford Council.

The Council has recalculated housing distribution proposals after coming under pressure from representatives of major housing developers in an official examination of the district's Local Plan Core Strategy by a Government planning inspector.

Menston could get a total of 600 new homes over the next 15 years under the changes, while proposed targets for Burley are now 700, and 1,000 in Ilkley - giving a total requirement of 2,500 new houses in the valley, compared to the 1,600 proposed in the consultation draft of the Core Strategy.

Bradford Council officers changed the figures after their use of a Habitat Regulations Assessment, to reduce the amount of housing permitted close to Rombalds Moor, came under attack in a legal debate. The Council previously almost halved initial housing numbers for the valley after assessing the HRA requirements and potential impact on wildlife.

Meanwhile, housing distribution figures for Bradford, Shipley, Baildon and Haworth were slashed as a result of land supply issues and English Heritage objections.

Silsden gained an extra 200, taking its current tally to 1,200.

In a document outlining the changes to housing distribution in the plan - which will serve as a rule book for development across the district - the Council said there had been a number of changes in background evidence which produced the circumstances necessary to justify a potential main modification to the plan.

It is understood that the Council will consult further on the changes to the Core Strategy.