A planning row over a secure psychiatric unit may result in a change in the law - but it may be too late for campaigners in Bierley, says an MP.

Bradford South MP Gerry Sutcliffe is now urging Bradford Council to revoke the permission it granted for the unit and has vowed to take the issue to Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott.

Mr Sutcliffe spoke after a City Hall protest by dozens of villagers who handed in an 800-name petition calling for action over the Cygnet Health Care centre.

He said: "We are going to move for a change in planning legislation, but it is not for the Council to hide behind that.

"They have the powers to revoke this planning permission and have not followed their own guidelines on consultation. We will pursue the change but it won't come in time for this."

Residents believe the Council should have told them the plans for a so-called "private hospital" on the Bierley Lane site would lead to a low-security psychiatric unit being built there.

But Bradford Council has said that planning legislation allows for a broad range of uses within the development classification it approved for the site - and a low security psychiatric unit is one of them. It added that it is not possible for the Council to know what the future use of every site will be.

Ward Councillor John Ruding (Lab, Tong) said he is now trying to find out whether the Council will revoke permission for the development and has threatened to call in the local government ombudsman if it does not.

Councillor Anne Hawkesworth, the executive member for the environment, has already written to planning minister Keith Hill urging him to review the planning legislation.

Regional director of Cygnet Health Care, Alison Ireland, said: "We remain committed to evolving a positive relationship with local residents as we have elsewhere in the country.

"We have met with elected representatives, local individuals and small groups who have sought further information about the development and are keen to continue to do so."