Residents are going into battle for a second time to stop building on fields in Skipton.

The proposal has come from the trustees of the Tarn Moor Estate, who represent the people of Skipton, even though residents and community groups strongly opposed the fields north of Raikes Road being included in housing plans.

In 1995 the land was included in the consultation draft of the Local Plan for housing but after Skipton residents had their say it was excluded from the Deposit Draft in 1996.

At a public inquiry into the plan in 1997 the Civic Society argued that the district could provide enough housing without building on green fields. The White Hill Protection Group, made up of local residents, also took up the battle and fought to protect the land.

However the inspector asked for the Raikes Road site to be put back into the plan to provide higher priced dwellings.

The Secretary of State approved the plan and it was adopted in 1999.

Raikes Road resident Andy Wade said: "Bang out of the blue in May 2000 the trustees put in the application outline."

He added that they clearly had had no regard for the public consultation which had cost thousands of pounds and had received backing from hundreds of residents.

Mr Wade was worried that if the fields were built on then it would open the way for more development.

The White Hills Protection group has now been reformed to fight the application.

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