CAMPAIGNERS have failed in their bid to prevent a plan to build up to 130 homes on green fields in Greengates, after planners approved the outline scheme.

Residents demonstrated outside Bradford City Hall shortly before today's committee meeting which approved the plans for the site off Harrogate Road.

The proposal, by landowner AME Properties, saw more than 350 objections submitted by people as well as councillors and MPs, although planning officers recommended it for approval.

Members of the committee raised a number of concerns during the meeting with much of the discussion centring on traffic issues.

One of the conditions attached to the planning permission includes a potential £1.9 million contribution from the developer towards improvements at the nearby Harrogate Road and New Line junction.

The £6.8m project is being mainly funded by the West Yorkshire Plus Transport Fund, and the extra funding could come from this development, or a nearby Miller Homes scheme at Simpsons Green - whichever begins first.

Committee chairman, Councillor David Warburton said: "I think the Carr Bottom Road part of the site is something that the developer needs to be looking at. The houses may front on to the road, but access needs to come from within the site."

Extra conditions added by the panel as it passed the plans included ensuring there is no vehicle access from the new homes fronting on to Carr Bottom Road; that mature trees which will need to be removed along Harrogate Road for the new access to the site be moved or replaced; and that money allocated for Metro Cards for residents be spent on recreation facilities in the area instead.

Speaking for the campaigners, resident Nigel Barraclough questioned the traffic survey data compiled by the applicant, which he said used out of date Bradford Council figures from 2011.

He also questioned the new access junction and how it would affect the major improvements at the New Line junction, saying: "The Combined Authority might as well throw their £7m in the bin, quite frankly."

Agent for the scheme, Adam Key of Savills, told councillors that it was important to stress that this was an outline application and the the layout was only illustrative.

Mr Key said: "Britain has a severe shortage of housing and Bradford is no exception. Bradford also doesn't have a five year land supply."

One of the campaigners, Rupy Hayre, said after the decision: "I'm absolutely disappointed that the community has lost this asset.

"This development, along with the others in the area that have already been agreed, will only compound the stress on the infrastructure in the area, such as schools. Local children will end up not being able to get in to their local schools."