The decision by planning councillors to refuse permission for a development of up to 440 houses at Sty Lane, Micklethwaite, can only be applauded as a victory for people power.

Six of the seven councillors on the Shipley Area Planning Panel decided to go against the recommendation of officers and voted to kick the scheme into touch. Their decision marks a real victory for people power, and the delighted protesters who broke into cheers when the decision was announced should be applauding themselves as well as these councillors.

For their continued efforts have played a major role in helping to highlight the concerns over access to the site that resulted in this refusal.

This newspaper also pointed out earlier in the week the real concerns about the developers’ plan for access to the site via a new swing bridge over the Leeds Liverpool Canal. It is, of course, likely that the developers will now appeal this decision, particularly as the Council’s planning officers had recommended acceptance of the scheme.

And it may be that ultimately this proves to be nothing more than a delay to the eventual development of this housing estate. But the public has spoken. The Council’s planning panel has now spoken. What will it say about David Cameron’s so-called Big Society, with power supposedly given back to communities, if this decision is now overturned by a solitary planning inspector from outside the area?

Yesterday’s decision is a victory for people power; it is a victory for democracy. It has shown the developers and the Council planners that Bradford’s communities will not allow their green spaces to be developed willy-nilly to meet the nebulous demand for 45,500 homes that is said to exist.

As Coun John Pennington said at the meeting, ‘not one metre of grass should be dug up without first redeveloping brownfield sites’.

Our communities will continue to fight – with the support of this newspaper – to have their voices heard and their environment protected.