A construction company has warned that jobs are threatened as an access row holds up work on a multi-million-pound private housing estate.

Fairclough Homes obtained planning permission six years ago for 194 homes on the former Waterhouse Denbigh Quarry off Bolton Road, Bradford.

At that time councillors agreed access to the new estate should be from Bolton Hall Road/Livingstone Road. This meant that a road block in Bolton Hall Road - installed 25 years ago to stop through-traffic - needed to be relocated a short distance away.

But the proposed new location of the road block is in the catchment of Shipley Area Panel, while its existing position is under Bradford North Area Panel's control.

Shipley panel has agreed to the relocation once the original one is shut. But Bradford North panel will not agree to its closure, leaving the fed-up developers in limbo because both panels must agree to traffic regulation orders being prepared for the changes to go ahead.

Bradford Council's Executive Committee will be recommended to give the go-ahead for the change when it takes over the case from the panels tomorrow.

Bradford North Area Panel has opposed the closure because it says residents face traffic problems if Bolton Hall Road is the sole access to the major estate.

The delay has left frustrated contractors waiting to get on to the land to carry out substantial groundwork needed. And they have warned that jobs are at risk unless work begins soon.

Resident Rod Lacey, 67, said today: "The original decision to have only one access to 200 homes was wrong. We are not against the development of the quarry site. It is a good use for it. But there should have been two accesses."

Ward councillor Alan Hillary (Lib Dem, Bolton) said Bradford North Area Panel had agreed unanimously that Council lawyers should go back and renegotiate the decision of six years ago.

But Shipley East Labour ward councillor Tony Miller said: "We believe the original decision was made democratically and must stay."

Councillor David Herdson, chairman of Shipley Area Panel, played down the dispute.

"There isn't a conflict," he said. "We have simply agreed to the relocation in our part of Bolton Hall Road when the other one is reopened.