CAMPAIGNERS who spent nine years battling plans for more than 400 homes to be built on green fields have decided against mounting any further High Court challenges - but say their fight is not over.

Plans for the construction of up to 440 homes off Sty Lane, Micklethwaite, Bingley, were rubber-stamped by Communities and Local Government Secretary Sajid Javid last month following a public inquiry.

Greenhill Action Group (GAG) has so far spent £250,000 on its legal fight and its chairman Mick Meares warned that a further High Court challenge against Mr Javid’s decision could have cost it more than £500,000 if it was lost.

He said: “While our advisors feel that consent should not have been granted with the strength of our case, neither feel that a case based on legal principles can be taken forward.

“The legal costs could have been more than £500,000 if we had lost a High Court action. We have not been able to reach that.

“If we felt there was more of a case to be heard at the High Court, it would have been more of a difficult decision.

“At least we don’t have the burden of a High Court action now, but equally we will look forward to opportunities at its next stage to challenge.

“This is certainly not over yet.

“We will be watching the next steps by the developers like a hawk.

“We remain opposed to this development and determined to get the best out of this awful situation for the area.

“We will be watching very, very carefully and going through the minutiae of the applications that are submitted next.

“This was about the application of law.

“We need to pick our battles and this battle is not over.

“But the conditions of the application still require consent and still have to go through the planning process.

“Provided we can secure continued support, GAG will continue with its campaign.”

Outline permission for the development, which was recommended for approval by Bradford Council, comes with 40 conditions attached

Yesterday, a spokesman for developer Redrow said: “We are currently working up our reserved matters application which will be submitted in due time.”

A Bradford Council spokesman said: “Outline planning permission was granted by the Secretary of State following a two-week public inquiry into the application submission which was held by an independent planning inspector.”