VILLAGERS are preparing for a fight with housing developers.

Householders at Moorlands Avenue, Bogthorn, Oakworth, are objecting to plans by Wakefield-based property company Alfred McAlpine over plans for a 138-home development on neighbouring farmland.

"It doesn't serve the needs of the local community," says outraged Conservative councillor Kris Hopkins, "Rather it accommodates the developer's desire to turn green-field land into houses."

Furious residents are dismayed that the homes will overshadow own properties, as well as problems with access.

"There's simply not room," says Gordon Brooksbank, 68, a retired fitter, who has been one of the leading figures in the fight against development.

"Moorland Avenue will be used as a rat-run. There will be tailbacks all the way to Oakworth. You're looking at up to 200 extra cars, and the infrastructure is not sufficient to accommodate it."

According to Cllr Hopkins, however, the real point of this case goes much further than transport and traffic. He criticises Bradford Council.

"PPG3 is a planning guideline, which enables the council to prioritise its planning needs. The council sets priorities on whether it wants brown-field or green-field developments.

Bradford council has not met the national 66 per cent brown-field site guideline and there's been a disproportionate allocation of green-field expansion. The council should implement PPG3 and use more brown-field sites for development."

Andy Brown, 45, a driver for social services, agrees. "There's been too much building in the Worth Valley already," he says.

"They should be levelling the brown-field sites and bringing them back to life, not utilising green land."

Kathleen Brooksbank, 63, an auxiliary nurse, says: "All we can do is speak out minds. We have to let our feelings be known. What else can we do?"

Residents, however, are hoping that building will never actually take place. They can well remember the scenes of derision in the council when McAlpine's original bid was read out.

"Cllr Martin Leathley described it as the worst application they'd ever seen," recalls Mr Brooksbank, who was at the meeting.

"And seeing as they've done so little to change it, that's exactly the result we'll be hoping for the second time around," he adds.

No-one from McAlpine's was available to comment.