Controversial plans for 100 new houses off Goose Cote Lane in Oakworth will be resubmitted in the New Year.

GCL Developments has vowed to try again for planning permission following its shock withdrawal of the project last week.

It will submit a new application immediately after the completion of a detailed archaeological survey of the greenbelt site.

The plan was due to be discussed last Thursday by Bradford Council’s Regulatory and Appeals Committee, but the application was withdrawn by the applicants on Wednesday afternoon.

The plans for the greenbelt site had proved hugely controversial, with hundreds of people objecting and planning officers recommending that committee refuse the scheme.

A number of objectors had planned to attend the meeting, and a coach had been hired to take them from Oakworth to Bradford City Hall to hear the debate and speak against the plans.

Clr David Warburton, the committee chairman, said: “I am concerned at the timing of when this was withdrawn. I apologise to anyone who came here today to hear about this application.

“We did try to notify people as soon as we could. It is disappointing that the applicants or their agents didn’t have the courtesy to attend this meeting to apologise.”

The application was the second by GCL Developments for permission to build on the fields, which overlook the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway.

After last Thursday’s meeting, Worth Valley ward councillor Rebecca Poulsen warned that the application was likely to be resubmitted.

She said: “This does leave it a little bit in limbo for the residents, who have done a fantastic campaign. It would have been better to have a decisive conclusion.”

Sam Dewar, speaking for the applicant, said the main reason for withdrawing the application was because his clients wanted to complete the archaeological survey.

He added: “The planning department didn’t give us time to dig the archaeological trench. We did a geological survey that said there wasn’t an issue with the land, but it still needed trenching. That’s about £30,000 of work.

“The intention is to resubmit the application early in the New Year. There was no time to do the work before Christmas.”