A RESIDENTS' group campaigning against a housing development in Apperley Bridge is pushing for a judicial review into the matter.

Locals who have been battling against the Miller Homes development on Simpson's Green are also trying to form a town council and contact the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government Eric Pickles.

In September, Bradford Council granted planning permission for 267 homes on Simpson's Green, despite uproar from residents who last weekend staged a protest walk.

The authority received 287 objections plus two petitions against the proposals and just one letter of support when its Regulatory and Appeals Committee met to discuss the homes.

Rupy Hayre, spokesman for the residents' group, said: "We are gathering evidence to go to a judicial review.

"We have uncovered a lot of issues around the whole application. We are finding the best angle to go for a judicial review.

"Our biggest and most important angle is the fact that Bradford Council failed to put a five-year land allocation plan in place.

"Had that been in place, a lot of these planning applications that are going through in outer areas of Bradford would not have been able to go through."

Julian Jackson, Bradford Council's assistant director for Planning, Transportation and Highways, said: "The application was validated by the planning service in February 2014 and an extensive consultation exercise with the public undertaken. Further consultations were undertaken with the community in July following the receipt of amended plans and further information.

"In accordance with the usual procedures, a comprehensive report was written which took into consideration all the relevant matters of the application for the Regulatory and Appeals Committee to consider.

"The report clearly outlined the Council's current housing land supply position which was fully taken into account by members of the Committee in arriving at a decision. In addition the impact of the proposals on matters relating to disability were addressed in the report ."

Councillor Val Slater, the Council's executive member for Housing, Transport and Planning, said: "Although the decision was obviously a disappointment to the objectors, I am confident that the planning committee followed all the required processes when coming to their decision."

Tim Williams, strategic land manager for Miller Homes, said: "Throughout planning we undertook thorough investigations of the site in order to ensure that our plans were well considered and viable. This included research into ground conditions, flooding and ecology; as well as thorough analysis of highways and traffic in the area.

“At present Bradford has a significant shortfall of housing and we believe our proposed development of high quality family homes will go some way towards reducing this and we are confident the finished development will bring about a range of benefits to the local community.”

As part of its planning obligations, Miller Homes has committed £1 million towards primary and secondary schools in the area.