BRADFORD Council has yet again blocked a homeowner from absorbing an area of public land into their garden.

Last summer Bradford Council refused plans to change the use of public highway at the corner of Dale View and Woodland Rise in Ilkley to a private garden.

If approved, the land would have become part of the garden of 5 Dale View. An appeal was also later dismissed.

However, the applicant William Scott submitted a fresh application with a reduced area of land in question, which was considered by Keighley Area Planning Panel on July 10.

Planning officers had recommended approval but, after representations on behalf of objectors by Cllr Anne Hawkesworth (Ind, Ilkley) and former councillor Martin Smith, the panel refused the application.

Mr Smith said: “We mentioned the previous inspectors refusal of the whole area. Forty percent of the area lost is not acceptable. Grass verges are an integral area of the highway.”