A revised local authority-wide assessment of potential housing land has concluded more homes could be built around villages in Wharfedale.

The most recent Strategic Housing Land Allocation Assessment (SHLAA) to be produced by Bradford Council has seen an increase in potential housing sites put forward by developers or landowners in the area – much of it on currently-protected green belt land.

And potential local housing yields have also increased in the new assessment.

It was revealed last week the number of possible housing sites identified in Ilkley and Ben Rhydding had doubled from the previous Bradford Council SHLAA.

As well as green belt fields to the east and west of Ilkley, fields between Burley-in-Wharfedale and Menston, to the east of Menston, and to the west of Burley’s Main Street have been identified as potential housing land.

There has been no increase in the number of sites identified in Addingham, although there has been a rise in number of houses deliverable. The biggest sites marked for possible development lie to the south of the village, bordering the A65 road.

Possible land allocations highlighted in the last SHLAA were a source of concern for residents. These communities were consulted over the first-draft Core Strategy Development Plan Document of Bradford Council’s Local Plan.

This document suggested a total of more than 3,000 new houses should be built in Addingham, Burley, Ilkley and Menston combined between now and 2028.

The last land assessment identified potential sites for hundreds of new houses in these communities.

The new SHLAA itself does not officially designate land for housing development, but the study is likely to be used when assessing formal land designations as part of the Bradford District’s Local Plan.

A total of 1,158 housing units are now said to be possible in Menston – an increase of more than a third – and 1,094 in Burley, an increase of nearly 50 per cent on the last study.

Land in Burley at Greenholme Mills and the former Moor Lane Centre, currently the subject of a planning application, are highlighted, but other Burley sites are on green fields in the green belt.

Green field sites account for the majority of possible housing land in Menston, too.

A large area to the west of the village was assessed and deemed unsuitable for development.