An MP who is among objectors to plans by Bradford Council for a cluster of homes on a greenfield site says it would be “shameful” for councillors to approve their own application in the face of mass local opposition.

David Ward (Lib Dem, Bradford East) and 62 others have written to the Council to oppose plans to build off Parkway, West Bowling.

When a planning committee meets to decide on the application for 45 houses on Wednesday, its members will also be informed that a petition opposing the houses has been signed by 83 people.

But, despite this, the application is still recommended for approval by officers.

Objectors also say it was unfair the application was submitted a few days before Christmas, when few people were likely to be aware of it – and that as it was a Council application, more could have been done to make sure residents’ concerns were taken into account.

The Council responded by saying: “The Council cannot dictate when planning applications are submitted.”

The plans are for three and two-bedroom houses and the application states it “provides a sympathetic proposal to a difficult development site” and “will improve the current vacant site, reducing anti-social behaviour and improve the amenity value and safety of local residents whilst protecting their privacy.”

But residents say the estate would lose an area of green space which is used by many people in the community.

They have also argued the roads cannot cope with the extra traffic 45 houses could bring and say local schools do not have the capacity for the new families.

Mr Ward visited residents at the site last month, and wrote an objection letter to the Council shortly afterwards.

In it he repeats the residents’ objections, and on the green space issue says: “My constituents fear that losing this space in its entirety would mean that their children are displaced and they would lose what they consider to be a residential amenity.”

Dr Mohammad Rehan, who lives on nearby Highbridge Terrace, said: “When we discussed this with local councillors they fully understood our concerns. It just seems like they’ve decided to go ahead with it and don’t care about what people have said.

“The feeling I get after reading that it has been recommended for approval is that they made their decision a while ago and now they are just going to impose it. If it is approved it’s a shameful representation for the Council.”

Wednesday’s meeting takes place at 10am at City Hall.