A Government inspector has approved plans to start work on the “missing link” in a £3m leisure trail, against a landowner’s wishes.

Landowner Phillip Summers, who owns High Birks Fire and Clay Works near Thornton, objected to plans to build part of the Great Northern Railway Trail from Cullingworth to Queensbury across his land between Headley Lane and Cockin Lane.

Bradford Council subsequently made an order to create a public bridleway across the land, sparking a major planning row.

Now the order has been upheld by a government inspector from the Department for Food, Environment and Rural Affairs following a public hearing in Bradford last month.

A stretch of the trail from Cullingworth to Harecroft has already been opened, and the inspector’s decision means work on the next phase of the route linking Thornton with Queensbury can now start.

Jeff McQuillan, chairman of the Great Northern Trail Forum, which is working with alternative transport group Sustrans and the Council on the project, said: “This is great news for the trail.

“It will link to the existing footpaths in the area and people can choose to do circular walks, which at the moment they can’t do.

“In a time of economic woes, this is one piece of good news that I hope will be appreciated by everybody.

“It is only through the support of the Council that this could ever happen. We are very grateful to the Council for all the time and effort they have put in to this.”

  • Read more on this story in Tuesday's T&A.