A SILSDEN politician claims Bradford Council and the Environment Agency must provide answers regarding flooding in the Aire Valley.

Councillor Adrian Naylor spoke out after Bradford’s planning committee gave outline consent for up to 190 homes to be built on fields off Belton Road.

The site is on the outskirts of Silsden and near the River Aire, and councillors had last April deferred a decision on the plans because they needed more information about potential flood risks.

Councillors last week expressed dismay they had still not received essential information from the Environment Agency about what it will do to prevent future flooding in Silsden.

Cllr Naylor this week praised developer Countryside Properties for offering to prevent flooding by building large underground tanks to store excess water from both their own houses and possibly other parts of Silsden.

But he said Bradford Council had a responsibility to devise a comprehensive anti-flooding strategy for the entire district.

He added: “There’s a strategic need to look at flooding, but Bradford is expecting individual developers to look at their own developments.

"It may be a case of stopping flooding in Silsden and moving it onto Stockbridge.

“How will the council co-ordinate solutions for each individual development when there are hundreds of houses?”