Planners have deferred an application to build a covered hore riding area for disabled people.

Keighley area planning panel today delayed a decison to give the Haworth Riding for the Disabled Group time to submit more information in time for the next meeting.

Planning officers provoked a massive public outcry against their recommendation to refuse plans for a covered area for.

The wave of protest grew after the Keighley News revealed the decision on its website.

It followed Haworth, Cross Roads and Stanbury parish councillor Barry Thorne telling a meeting of Keighley Town Council of the "absolute scandal".

Cllr Thorne explained Haworth Riding for the Disabled had last year applied for the covered space at its stables in Vale Mill Lane, Cross Roads. He said there was much localsupport for its proposal - his parish council had submitted the planning application on behalf of the group. The application also generated a supportive petition signed by 310 people, along with 13 individual letters, all backing the plans.

Planning officers say the development would make too much of an impact on green belt land, adding: "There are no very special circumstances to justify a departure from green belt policy. They conclude: "It is considered that the proposal would amount to a form of development which is inappropriate in this sensitive, green belt location and which would compromise the landscape quality of the area." Cllr Thorne, an activities officer for the Bradford Disability Sport and Leisure Association, said he belived the recommendation might be in breach of the Disability Discrimation Act.

He said: "Able bodied riders can ride all year round the disabled cannot, so Bradford planning is directly discriminating against the disabled."

Keighley mayor Cllr Brian Hudson said he agreed with Cllr Thorne, describing the planning officer recommendation as "disgraceful".

Jackie Butterfield, the secretary of Haworth Riding for the Disabled, said a ruling against the club would be a big blow to its members."All we're asking is equality for disabled people," she said. "We're in an exposed position but we don't want anything big and fancy - we just want something to keep us dry."

Cllr Thorne said if the club's proposals were thrown out, the group would try to challenge the decision on the grounds of anti-disability discrimination law.

He added the planning officers' argument that the covered area should not be built because it would lie within green belt land was "rubbish".

"The idea of green belt is to stop urban sprawl - not to stop disabled people taking part in their sporting activities," he said.