Planning chiefs have rejected a controversial outline application to build up to 440 homes on green fields near Bingley.

More than 250 campaigners, many waving placards, attended the Shipley Planning Panel meeting at Bingley Arts Centre yesterday.

The audience cheered and stamped their feet as councillors voted six to one against proposals by developers Redrow and Bellway to build on the site at Sty Lane, Micklethwaite.

Councillors said they felt access to the site, which was principally via a swing bridge over the Leeds-Liverpool Canal, was not adequate.

They said an emergency diversion route along Oakwood Drive, to be used during maintenance and repairs to the swing bridge, was not sufficient to cope with a potential 800 cars.

Councillor John Cole (Lib Dem, Baildon) was the only planning committee member to support the application, which had been recommended for approval by Bradford Council planning officers.

He received a chorus of boos and cries of “Shame on you” as he voted in favour of the scheme.

Before giving their decision, members of the panel had been on a visit to the site to see the issues surrounding the development with their own eyes.

Terry Brown, chairman of the Greenhill Action Group (GAG), which opposed the development, said he felt elated following the decision.

“I am really surprised and encouraged that the councillors have taken such a determined step to reject this application having seen how bad access to the site is,” he said. “They have even questioned whether the site should have ever been committed for development in the Council’s Replacement Unitary Development Plan (RUDP).”

Mr Brown said he expected the developer would appeal the decision and GAG was already preparing for that possibility.

“The developers have lodged an appeal for an earlier rejected application for the site, which will be heard in February 2012,” he said.

“I expect they will substitute this latest application for their original application so it will be dealt with early next year.

“We really need to follow that through and I am hoping the residents of Bingley have got the will to do that.

“People have backed us throughout the campaign and the support we have got from the whole area has been fantastic.”

Bingley Tory Councillor John Pennington spoke against the application at the meeting along with fellow Tory ward representatives Coun Mark Shaw and Coun David Heseltine.

Coun Pennington said he was delighted by the result.

“Not one metre of grass should be dug up without first redeveloping brown-field sites,” he said.

“The Greenhill development had a mass of problems, particularly access across the canal.

“I fear the pending application for housing in Menston may not be as easy to argue against but at the moment it is one nil.”

Coun Heseltine hailed the decision a victory for common sense and was pleased the planning panel had listened. Coun Shaw added: “I am so glad that Bingley and villages have fought a community battle and won.”

e-mail: kathryn.bradley @telegraphandargus.co.uk