The threat to the district’s green fields from housing development is back on the agenda as the country pulls itself out of recession.

Mothballed building sites have been re-started all across the district, and while this is good news for the economy, that does not mean we should welcome every new proposal without question.

If we are asked to accept that more housing must be built in the Bradford area, then we must in turn ask those who plan the district’s future to accept that there is a proper place for such development.

The Heaton Township Association wants to band together with other community groups campaigning against encroaching development on green fields to form a district-wide coalition of protest organisations.

Such joined-up thinking would be a good idea, allowing different groups to share information and resources, and present a united front against the developers who are eyeing up our green and pleasant land.

If there was a co-ordinated approach, it would send a clear message to the local authority that green fields should not be earmarked for housing development, and instead more should be done to investigate brownfield and former industrial sites.

While everyone wants to see commerce given a boost, that does not mean we should sacrifice green fields for the green shoots of recovery.