A planning panel could not make a decision on plans for a skateboard park in Cottingley because of an article by a barrister in a planning magazine.

The Shipley Area Planning Panel ruled that permission for the skateboard park and multi-use games area could not be considered by them because the land the scheme is planned to be built on belongs to Bradford Council's recreation department.

Chairing the panel yesterday, Councillor Robin Owens (Con, Bingley) said a barrister had stated in an article that permission to build multi-use games areas on a council's own recreation ground - behind Fairy Dell - was not required.

Coun Owens said he had consulted the Council's legal department and had no option but to return the application to the applicants, a group of youngsters in the village who have been campaigning for the games area at Cottingley's recreation ground.

The decision regarding the building of the games area, which includes plans for a five-a-side football pitch, will now be made by the Council's recreation department.

"The recreation department may decide to build it tomorrow morning, but I seriously doubt it," said Coun Owens.

Stuart Chadwick, a spokesman for the Recreation Field Action Group which is campaigning to block the plans, said objectors would now be concerned that they will not be able to campaign against the £80,000 scheme.

"I feel this move will quash the democratic process as real objectors will not be able to have their say," he told the panel. The group fear if built the games area would lead to a loss of green space, vandalism and a drop in house prices.

Howard Clough, chairman of Cottingley Community Association and a supporter of the plans, said he feared the Council may now drag its feet.

The area, planned to be 50 metres from the nearest home, will be funded by the developers of new houses in Cottingley Moor Road and by Bradford Council.