Controversial plans to build houses on a former reservoir site at Baildon are to be decided by a Government inspector.

And campaigners are calling on villagers to back their long-running battle to save the former Baildon Bank Reservoir site off West Lane by putting pen to paper.

A public inquiry is to be held after Cala Homes (Yorkshire) Ltd and Keyland Developments appealed against Bradford Council's decision to refuse them outline planning permission for a residential development.

West Lane Action Group members fear that building up to 70 homes could hit their quality of life, increase traffic congestion and damage the balance between green belt and developed land.

Although the Council's current Unitary Development Plan (UDP) designates the 3.11 hectare site for housing, its new draft UDP recommends delaying development until at least 2009.

It has turned down the application by Cala Homes and Keyland Developments, saying it would involve the development of a site which - because of its distance from local services and facilities and poor access to public transport - was considered to "perform poorly in terms of sustainability''.

Action group spokesman Trevor Hallatt, pictured, whose Foxhill home overlooks the site, said: "Although we don't want the site developed at all, a lot of water can flow under the bridge before 2009 and we were delighted with the Council's decision.

"We now want as many people as possible to write in to support that decision before November 16.

"If the appeal fails we'll be losing yet more open land and Baildon doesn't have the infrastructure to cope with more housing.

"This site isn't needed to meet current housing needs and although it's been referred to as brown field you can't compare it to an old factory or hospital site.''

Backing the action group Shipley MP Chris Leslie said: "I think the Council was right to knock back the plans as that site forms a natural boundary with the green belt.

"It would be a shame if it was developed, not just for nearby residents but for car drivers in Baildon too. It's already difficult to get in and out of the village and this development would clog up roads even more.''

l Representations should be sent to the Planning Inspectorate, Room 10/13, Tollgate House, Houlton Street, Bristol, BS2 9DJ, by November 16, quoting reference APP/W4705/A/01/107077.