Two MPs have joined the battle against a superstore planned on the site of a former school.

Bradford Council education chiefs stand to earn millions of pounds for the authority from the sale of the land at Bierley if the development goes ahead.

And the Council's planning committee has forwarded the plans to Environment Secretary John Prescott, recommending that it be approved.

But today Bradford South MP Gerry Sutcliffe and Terry Rooney, MP for Bradford North, were contacting Mr Prescott, urging him to turn the plan down.

Mr Sutcliffe said they feared the development on the site of the former Gregory Middle School would create traffic problems for the area.

He said: "We are also against the plan because we feel it would be wrong for the company to close a supermarket just yards away and open this one."

The plan by shopping giants Asda has already sparked a major protest from people living in Holme Wood who objected to the closure of their local store at Knowles Lane.

They sent a petition signed by hundreds of people to Asda and lobbied outside the Knowles Lane store in a bid to stop it. People living near the proposed site in Rooley Lane also said they feared traffic problems and believed a petrol station which was part of the planned development was too close to their homes.

The planning application had to be forwarded to Mr Prescott for a decision because the shopping plan at Bierley contravened the structure plan.

Mr Prescott has the power to call it in for a public inquiry.

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