Campaigners committed to fighting the recent decision to permit a 440 home development at Sty Lane, Micklethwaite are appealing to concerned local people to help fill a "war chest."

Bradford planners agreed to the Redrow and Bellway homes project after previous concerns about access via a swing bridge over the Leeds and Liverpool canal and an automatic barrier system for emergency vehicles were addressed by the developers.

But members of the Greenhill Action Group (GAG) are determined to continue their battle against the scheme, which they and Bingley ward councillors believe will bring traffic chaos to the area's narrow winding lanes.

"We lost at the Planning Panel meeting in Bingley.

"Since then, members of GAG have been seeking advice from various parties about how we may best proceed," said GAG chairman Terry Brown.

"We have, at this stage, ruled out the option of referring our case to the Ombudsman, as we believe this will take longer than the time we have available - less than six weeks - and that, in any event, the service doesn't have the authority to over-rule the decision, merely to recommend against it," he said.

Mr Brown said they had sought the help of Shipley MP Philip Davies and put a request before the Secretary of State that he call in the decision by Bradford Council.

"If he does call it in we understand this could lead to another Public Inquiry with substantial costs involved," he said.

If that course of action does not proceed, Mr Brown said the next option would be to go to a lengthy and costly Judicial Review of the Sty Lane development.

"GAG is currently in the process of seeking initial legal advice on this and on the likely costs associated with such action," he said.

"If the Judicial Review route is deemed to be the only option open to us then this will require significant additional funds to those that remain in our 'war chest'.

"As we believe there is still wide support for GAG to continue its campaign against the development of the Sty Lane site we will need to ask for further donations from the community in order to meet these costs," Mr Brown said.

Details of the GAG campaign can be found on its website at: http://www.greenhill-action-group.co.uk