THE battle guns are out again to try and save Silsden green fields from the threat of hundreds of new homes.

A new campaign was launched in the town this week, under the wing of the area's Conservatives.

Although they stressed it was a non-political fight, Save Our Green Acres Campaign flies in the face of Bradford's ruling Labour group which voted to impose massive development on Silsden as part of the area's Unitary Development Plan (UDP).

Eco-warriors from Bingley have also pledged their support to the Silsden fight and have promised to lend a hand in any future protest against development.

This week, Coun Eric Dawson delivered petition lists and campaign posters to shops and stores in the town.

He also helped push leaflets through letterboxes urging Silsdeners to support the campaign.

The Conservatives are pinning their hopes on new rules which deputy Prime Minister John Prescott wants to introduce.

The new rules would force councils to look at derelict sites before building on farming land.

"The Silsden Town Action Group has done a marvellous job in fighting against the UDP but I don't think they can go any further," said Coun Dawson.

"We intend to table this matter in the House of Commons and make people sit up and think.

"What we want to stop is the green belt being eroded away more and more, as it has been doing."

He added: "I'm very concerned about this, not just as a councillor, but as someone who lives in the area."

The petitions will be collected in March before being sent off to Westminster.

STAG's Janet Mitchell told the Herald that the group had no political affiliation, but supported the new campaign.

"We would urge people to fill in these leaflets and sign the petition," she added.

"Anything that people can do to make others aware of our plight is good."

The battle for Silsden's green fields has not only received a lot of local coverage but was also featured in a BBC Panorama programme last month.

And last week around 100 people attended a public meeting called by STAG to update townsfolk on the UDP battle.

Keighley MP Ann Cryer has asked for an adjournment in Parliament to debate the matter.

Picture shows Coun Eric Dawson, right, with Peter Brook, who has agreed to take part in the campaign by keeping a copy of the petition in his store, Arthur Brook's outfitters.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.