CAMPAIGNERS trying to save fields from developers have won Olympic backing.

Huddersfield world record runner Derek Ibbotson is supporting opposition to plans to build on Lindley Moor.

The 1956 Melbourne Olympics bronze medallist led the fight against developing the green field site more than a decade ago.

Mr Ibbotson, 77, said: “We got a lot of people together for two or three years to stop it.

“I don’t want lots of buildings on the moor. We got this idea kicked out once before and I hope it gets kicked out again.”

In the 1990s Mr Ibbotson – the first man to run a mile in four minutes – led a campaign against plans to build 327 homes on the moor.

Lindley Moor Action Group was successful in blocking the housing plan. However, the land is officially classed as green field, meaning it can be developed.

On Thursday, Kirklees Council’s Huddersfield Planning Sub-committee will consider a plan for a £200m data campus on the 46-acre site – and officials have recommended that councillors approve it. Stirling Scotfield wants to build the centre, which would provide a secure site for organisations such as banks and internet-based businesses to house their computer servers.

But Mr Ibbotson, who used to live in Lindley, has now spoken against the plan.

“This is crazy,’’ he said. “Why do we need to block up all the open space? There are plenty of other places you could develop.”

Mr Ibbotson, who set the world mile record in 1957, used to go running on Lindley Moor in the 1980s and 90s.

He said: “I remember running past the cattle and the horses there. It was so nice to have some fresh air away from the factories with their dust and smoke.”

He moved to Ossett 10 years ago, but the action group he helped set up is still going strong – and will be at Thursday’s planning meeting at Huddersfield Town Hall.

Lindley Moor Action Group committee member John Procter said: “We will have three speakers at the meeting. As far as we’re concerned there’s more than enough available space in Huddersfield for any development like this.

“So many businesses have bitten the dust that there are lots of vacant sites on places like Leeds Road.”

Stirling Scotfield says the 340,000sq ft development of 12 units with 102 parking spaces would create about 150 jobs.

But Mr Procter, who has researched data centres, disagrees. He said: “As the technology improves, the number of people working in these places declines. If they got 50 or 60 people working there it might be the limit.

“Are we willing to sacrifice a big lump of land for 60 jobs?”

Mr Procter, who lives at Briarlyn Road, Birchencliffe, said: “If they get planning permission it will just end up being another load of sheds next to the M62. It will be a blight.”

But Stephen Holman, development director at Stirling Scotfield, said the data campus would benefit Huddersfield.

“We’re excited about the prospects the centre will bring to the area,’’ he said.

“It would be a relatively low-density development providing opportunities for extensive areas of landscaping and would result in minimal traffic generation.

“The data centre would raise the profile of Kirklees, create jobs and come as a timely boost to the local economy.

“Furthermore, the proposal will assist Kirklees in its aspirations for continuing growth of creative and knowledge-based industries.”