Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott has delayed plans for a massive soft-drinks distribution centre because he wants more time to consider it.

Today a spokesman for the Department of Transport and Environment said a "substantial" number of objections had been made to the planned development in the Cross Lane area.

He said a large amount of documentation had also been received over the controversial planning application by Princes Soft Drinks for the centre in Cross Lane, Westgate Hill.

The application was referred by the Council to the Secretary of State for Transport and Environment because a small part of the site off the A650 Drighlington bypass is Green Belt.

The distribution centre would stand on a new business park and Princes say the whole development would bring 850 new jobs to the district.

Bradford Council's transportation, planning and design committee sent the application to the Secretary of State in July saying members wanted to approve it.

Today committee chairman Councillor Latif Darr said: "We are pleased that it is getting very detailed consideration but we hope it will be approved."

Mr Prescott has the power to call a public inquiry into the application.

Today resident Gordon Tosbell said: "It is good news that it has not immediately returned to the Council. People feel strongly and I am glad it is getting extra consideration."

The Council received 600 individual letters of objection when the planning application by Britain's third biggest soft drinks factory was first submitted to the Council.

It was one of the biggest protests over a single planning application the authority had ever dealt with.

Kirklees Council opposed the application and English Heritage stepped in to try to block it because the organisation believed part of the site may be near land on which the Battle of Adwalton Moor was fought in 1643 during the English Civil wars.

Residents said they were concerned about noise and disturbance from the 25 metre high building.

They said it would dominate the skyline and extra traffic would create road dangers.

But the company says there would be a big job boost for local people.

It says there will be no extra noise and nuisance and it does not expect serious problems from extra traffic.

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