Horrified residents are calling for action to protect land which is set to be taken out of the green belt .

The site behind Endor Cresecent, at Burley-in-Wharfedale, has been earmarked for possible future development after 2014.

The land, which could take between 35 and 40 houses, has been allocated for long-term development by the Government Inspector in his report into Bradford Council's Unitary Development Plan.

And the shock news has angered residents who say the land lies in an area first defined as interim green belt more than 40 years ago.

Local people have already endured what they describe as a nightmare of noise and disruption this summer as flood relief work has been carried out on their street.

And they say they are horrified at the prospect of yet more disruption if a housing development goes ahead.

Ron Sweeney, who lives on Endor Crescent, has now written to Bradford Council along with his wife, Amy, asking for a statement, and he has forwarded copies of the letter to his local councillors and his MP, Chris Leslie.

In their letter they say: "We remind you that the site in question lies in an area first defined as interim green belt more than 40 years ago (in 1963), and formally approved as such in 1988.

"Despite three appeals against the decision, by parties with a vested financial interest, the Planning Inspectorate of the Department of the Environment confirmed that any development would be inappropriate and confirmed its green belt status. This was done for several reasons the lack of safe access being a very important one."

Mr Sweeney said: "It looks as though the inspector is turning previous decisions by the Department of the Environment on their heads. He has completely gone against what the previous inspector said."

Mr Sweeney argued that there were no reasons to take the site out of the green belt.

"The boundaries haven't changed and the strip of land is still necessary to separate Menston from Burley. In his report on the UDP the inspector says the site relates more to the built-up area of Burley than it does to the countryside.

And he says the road and former railway line would provide firmer green belt boundaries than the gardens of the houses of Endor Crescent.

He adds: "There is a need for additional land to be allocated for housing, but there is no readily available safe access point for a housing development here.

"The site is land-locked to the north by the houses fronting onto Endor Crescent. There is insufficient frontage to provide an access with the necessary visibility splays on to Bradford Road. Consequently the land should not be allocated for housing at this stage, but it should be shown as safeguarded land on the proposals map. It is possible that the access problem might be capable of solution in the longer term."

The inspector's report on the UDP is now being considered by Bradford Council and will be debated in the autumn.

But local councillors say it is highly unlikely that the inspector's recommendations could be successfully challenged.

Coun Chris Greaves said the council was taking legal advice before answering the inspector's report, and he added that the public would have a chance to have their say.

He said: "It is certainly a backward step in that safe-guarded land is not as permanent as green belt.

"But - as has been shown in Menston with Bingley Road and Derry Hill - green belt land is not sacred."

He added: "Basically at the moment the site will be safe for another ten years, and even then any developer would have difficulties in building there because there is no access."

Coun Dale Smith said: "It is a change from the proposal that the council submitted and we are as unhappy as the residents are about it."

But he said: "It is very difficult to launch a successful challenge against the inspector's recommendations."

Coun Matt Palmer added: "That land should be green belt, it belongs in green belt and I would not want to see it developed."