A group of Bradford residents are battling to save spare land alongside a main road from development and to use it as a community area in a bid to combat anti-social behaviour.

The recently-formed Shearbridge Residents Association represents people living in the Great Horton Road area of the city.

The group of about 30 members is hoping to get permission from Bradford Council to keep a piece of abandoned land and transform it into a multi-use area.

Proposals for the land at 306 Great Horton Road, at the top end of Oulton Terrace, includes a multi-sports area with facilities for tennis, netball, football and hockey.

The group also hopes to have a walking and cycle track around the outside of the space and meeting pods for people of all ages to gather and relax.

Najib Khan, a member of the group, said: “Until recently the land was more or less abandoned and getting to be dangerous and a hazard for children and the community alike. Items have been getting dumped on there and it looks a mess, which encourages anti-social behaviour.

“We asked for the Council to make it safe and they decided the best thing was to sell it for retail or commercial use.Our opinion on this was that Great Horton Road has more than enough such businesses already and we asked for it for community use.

“We want to create an area for all ages to enjoy, not just for young people.

“The location near the university also makes the plans more ideal. We have more than 100 ideas of what we could do with the land.”

The group went to City Hall to present their petition to save the land to councillors and their plans are now being reviewed.

A spokesman for Bradford Council said: “Bradford Council has received a petition from a local residents’ group protesting against the proposed sale of the land and requesting that the land should be put to some form of community use.

“Dealings with the land have been placed on hold pending consideration of the petition by the Council’s Executive at its meeting on June 18.”

The association will continue to fight for the space during their regular meetings at Grade Interlink Centre, Summerville Road, in Bradford.