MP Chris Leslie will personally lead the fight against controversial plans for a huge new housing estate.

He is to attend all three days of the planning inquiry this week into proposals to build 400 homes on land at Warren Lane between Eldwick and Gilstead.

Mr Leslie, Labour MP for Shipley, is one of three leading campaigners against the plans who will give evidence in person at the inquiry which will take place in front of a Government inspector at Shipley Town Hall from tomorrow to Thursday.

"I am going to pull out all the stops on this one because it's so very important," he said.

"I am going to be there for the full three days of the inquiry and will be making my own proof of evidence presentation which is very substantial."

Objectors thought they had won their fight to halt the Warren Lane scheme when Bradford Council turned down the planning application at the beginning of 1997.

But the landowners have lodged an appeal against the decision to refuse planning permission and the final say now rests with the Department of the Environment.

Eldwick and Gilstead Village Societies have joined forces to wage another campaign against the proposal.

Protesters say the development would effectively merge the two villages and add to the pressure on the already strained school system. They also claim the road network and sewerage and drainage systems are not suitable to cope with 400 new homes.

Mr Leslie will be joined at the inquiry by David Briggs, chairman of Gilstead Village Society, and Penny Ward, of the Aire Valley Conservation Society, in presenting formal evidence against the development.

But he also urged other people in Gilstead and Eldwick to go to the inquiry.

"I think it's important that members of the public turn up to give the inspector a proper conception of just how strong feelings are in the neighbourhood about the reasons why this development should be refused," said Mr Leslie.

Mr Leslie has also raised the issue on the floor of the House of Commons during an adjournment debate.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.