Campaigners objecting to the sale of green land have organised a 600-name petition to stop the bulldozers moving in.

Green space in Shipley has been earmarked for sale as part of Bradford Council's asset management plan.

But residents living close to the site, behind a row of shops on Crag Road, Windhill are concerned that any development will damage their quality of life.

Campaigner Suzi Pullan, who lives on Back Crag Road, said: "We don't dispute the need for housing but this will really affect our lives. The noise and disruption of building work will be terrible and because the land is private it could block access to our homes.

"Any development here will restrict our views and take even more space away for children to play on."

The land incorporates parking spaces behind the shops for up to 20 cars and green space up to the former dairy site at Thomas Place.

Councillor Phillip Thornton (Lab, Shipley East) said the land was vital because it provided much-needed parking in the area.

He said: "Parking is difficult enough as it is and a lot of people, including residents and delivery vans, park behind the shops. It needs to be maintained for the community."

He said preserving an old lime tree on the land was also crucial to help protect the environment.

He added: "It should be protected. It's a beautiful old tree and looks like it has been there a long time."

A spokesman for Bradford Council asset management said the authority was investigating selling the site to the proposed developer of nearby Thomas Place, which in the past had experienced fly tipping and vandalism.

He claimed new housing and parking facilities on the site would help improve the current parking congestion off Crag Road, but said all proposals were subject to planning permission.

The spokesman said: "If negotiations are successful all this will be achieved without significant loss of existing grassed areas."

Coun Thornton said the petition would be submitted and he would be requesting that all decisions concerning the sale of the land be put on hold until the next full council meeting in April.