VITAL recreation land for Ilkley schoolchildren should be saved from housing development after the publication of Bradford's latest planning blueprint for the future.

A large area of prime building land on Bolling Road had been under threat since being earmarked for housing seven years ago in Bradford's original Unitary Development Plan (UDP).

Originally, the whole of the school fields belonging to Ben Rhydding Primary School had been earmarked for housing but after a public inquiry, a Government planning inspector reduced the size of the development plot to 25 per cent of the field - room for around 11 houses.

But even this plan was met with massive protests in the town with the largest ever petition - 8,000 signatures - being handed in to City Hall at Bradford. Protesters argued that the land earmarked for housing was the driest and most usable section of the field.

The angry protest cut across traditional political rivalries with Conservative district councillors and the town's Labour MP, Ann Cryer supporting the fight to save the field. Parents, teachers, governors, children and local residents joined in.

In the latest draft of the UDP published this week, planners have bowed to pressure and removed the housing designation from the site altogether.

The plan still has to be formally approved by Bradford Council's executive committee next Tuesday and may have to withstand objections from developers as well as scrutiny from a Department of the Environment planning inspector.

But now both the planners and the community are of the same mind, success is almost assured.

Lynne Davies, head teacher of Ben Rhydding Primary School, said she was cautiously pleased about the news.

She told the Gazette that she would be absolutely delighted if the playing fields had finally been reprieved after such a long struggle.

Mrs Davies said: "If that is the case I am absolutely delighted. But we have had no official confirmation yet.

"We could have hoped for nothing better at this stage and we will wait to see the result of each next hurdle. After the long battle it will help us to concentrate on the new building and a new era for the school."

Janine Foster, of Denton Road, Ilkley, has been one of the leading campaigners in the battle to save the fields by a group called The Friends of Bolling Road - the former name of the school.

Mrs Foster, whose six-year-old son attends Ben Rhydding Primary, said: "I was involved in collecting the signatures for the petition to stop the building on the school fields last year.

"It is good news, I am very pleased. I think it is great news if there are no strings attached. "Everybody - parents, teachers and residents have all campaigned for a long time to stop this and it is good news."

Former district councillor Barbara Cussons, who was a parish councillor when the original UDP was published, helped to organise support for the campaign, including collecting signatures for the massive original petition, and appeared at the UDP public inquiry to put the case for saving the playing fields.

Mrs Cussons said: "I am absolutely delighted about this. I think it absolutely essential to save some green space in Ben Rhydding."

Bradford's Environment boss and Ilkley District Councillor Anne Hawkesworth said that the playing fields should be safe if the executive committee at City Hall threw its weight behind the draft UDP.

She said that this time the planners who drew up the planning blueprint for the next decade or so, had to take into account the feelings of the public about the proposals.

There have also been moves on behalf of Sport England, a Government body charged with promoting sport, to prevent school playing fields from being sold off for housing.

Councillor Audrey Brand, who is chairman of the Ilkley Parish Council planning committee, said: "All the hard work has paid off. The planners have listened to us and we are absolutely delighted.