LONG Lee residents have launched a campaign to stop an estate of more than 100 homes being built on a field.

Plans for a development behind houses in Moss Carr Road have attracted dozens of objections, including a petition signed by more than 100 people.

The residents are being supported by councillors Caroline Firth and Malcolm Slater, who represent Keighley East ward on Bradford Council.

The plan for 103 houses, submitted by Skipton chartered surveyors David Hill, is currently in outline form and specifically covers arrangements for access to the site.

In response, residents have set up the Moss Carr Road Development Group, expressing concern about road safety on the narrow cul-de-sac, particularly at a bend which reduces visibility.

They say the road is also subject to regular flooding from the nearby recreation ground, which is on a former quarry site.

They claim the site is unsuitable for housing due to surface water, poor drainage, and previous coal-mining activity.

Residents’ spokesman Sara Dawe said there was already planning permission for three new-build developments in the Long Lee Thwaites Brow area, generating more than 100 houses.

She said four previous planning applications have been refused for the Moss Carr Road site, the most recent in the early 1980s.

She said: “As a group we feel that Long Lee has done our bit.

“This land was named greenbelt and should remain as such.

“Moss Carr Road remains a single track from the dog-leg bend with no passing points, and this proposal is three times bigger generating a possible 200-plus cars.

“Access is potentially going to be out from the top field onto Moss Carr Road which as residents we will not accept. The council cannot get the drains to work on the road as it is, without 100-plus extra houses and the increase in road traffic.”

Cllr Firth said she was particularly concerned about the road and railway bridges at the bottom of Park Lane, which she said were already bottlenecks for people in Long Lee and Thwaites Brow driving down into town.

She said: “We need new homes but not at the expense of the quality of life of people already living there. The infrastructure to support hundreds more houses must be fit to cope, and at the moment I believe it isn’t.”

Cllr Malcolm Slater said the top part of Moss Carr Road was an unsuitable place to be directing more than 100 extra vehicles.

He added: “The proposed entry is in the wrong place, as the road is narrow, it is well used by farm vehicles, and has frequent problems with water flowing down the street.”

David Hill declined to comment when approached by the Keighley News this week.