Campaigners fighting to save their village playing fields from development are facing a fresh battle with the site's church owner.

The Telegraph & Argus revealed last month how Baildon's Jenny Lane site had been earmarked for recreational space in Bradford Council's new draft Unitary Development Plan.

The site was originally designated Green Belt but following representations from its owner, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Leeds, and a public inquiry it was earmarked for housing in Bradford's previous UDP - a blueprint outlining proposals for development in the district. The decision sparked a massive protest campaign.

Members of the Jenny Lane Action Group welcomed the Council's proposal to return the fields - used by generations of village youngsters - to recreation use but have warned that they need to keep up the pressure to ensure the draft allocation is not overturned.

Now the site's owner says it will raise objections to the proposed designation when the six-week public consultation period on the latest draft UDP is launched in June.

David Damant, property administrator for the diocese, said: "The inspector at the public inquiry considered it was appropriate for this land to be used for housing and in planning terms nothing's changed since the last UDP was adopted by the local authority.

"Bradford Council needs sites for more housing and there's a strong argument for this being one of them.

"It's reasonable to assume there will be sufficient objections to the draft UDP to require a new public inquiry and under those circumstances it's possible this particular site could become part of that public inquiry.

"But one would hope that having gone through this process once the Council would change the draft document before it gets to public inquiry. Last time it came down in our favour and I'd expect it to be the same this time round if we're forced to repeat the process.''

Action group secretary Julia Donaghue said: "We're very pleased with the draft designation but can't afford to be complacent and need to get it to stick.

"We did expect the church to object and are drawing up a letter, asking people to write their own letters to the Council in support of the designation. It will be circulated to more than 4,000 homes in Baildon, hopefully every one in the village.

"We didn't make any representations to the last public inquiry but with all the public awareness of the issue now I think we'd have a much stronger case if it went to another one.''

e-mail: ian.lewis @bradford.newsquest.co.ukCampaigners fighting to save their village playing fields from development are facing a fresh battle with the site's church owner.

The Telegraph & Argus revealed last month how Baildon's Jenny Lane site had been earmarked for recreational space in Bradford Council's new draft Unitary Development Plan.

The site was originally designated Green Belt but following representations from its owner, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Leeds, and a public inquiry it was earmarked for housing in Bradford's previous UDP - a blueprint outlining proposals for development in the district. The decision sparked a massive protest campaign.

Members of the Jenny Lane Action Group welcomed the Council's proposal to return the fields - used by generations of village youngsters - to recreation use but have warned that they need to keep up the pressure to ensure the draft allocation is not overturned.

Now the site's owner says it will raise objections to the proposed designation when the six-week public consultation period on the latest draft UDP is launched in June.

David Damant, property administrator for the diocese, said: "The inspector at the public inquiry considered it was appropriate for this land to be used for housing and in planning terms nothing's changed since the last UDP was adopted by the local authority.

"Bradford Council needs sites for more housing and there's a strong argument for this being one of them.

"It's reasonable to assume there will be sufficient objections to the draft UDP to require a new public inquiry and under those circumstances it's possible this particular site could become part of that public inquiry.

"But one would hope that having gone through this process once the Council would change the draft document before it gets to public inquiry. Last time it came down in our favour and I'd expect it to be the same this time round if we're forced to repeat the process.''

Action group secretary Julia Donaghue said: "We're very pleased with the draft designation but can't afford to be complacent and need to get it to stick.

"We did expect the church to object and are drawing up a letter, asking people to write their own letters to the Council in support of the designation. It will be circulated to more than 4,000 homes in Baildon, hopefully every one in the village.

"We didn't make any representations to the last public inquiry but with all the public awareness of the issue now I think we'd have a much stronger case if it went to another one.''