Bruntcliffe Road/Daisy Hill Update - your not paranoid if they are really after you!

It is curious why Developers are desperately seeking planning permission on both Daisy Hill and Bruntcliffe Road so they can rip up these Morley greenfield sites. Why the rush or am I being paranoid?

Of course the answer is quite simple. When Labour agreed to allocate both sites for housing in their UDP plans in 2001 it was only a deal they can offer to Developers until the UDP is superseded by its new plan the Local Development Framework (LDF).

It is perfectly possible for both sites to be removed from the housing allocation later this year while new sites are found for Labours proposals for over 7,000 new houses across the Morley area.

Neither sites are sustainable as the demand they collectively place on local roads, drainage schemes, schools and health centres will overwhelm an already creaking infrastructure in Morley.

We will continue to campaign against such overwhelming proposals as we believe every last blade of grass and every wildflower is worth preserving across all of Morley's Greenfield sites.

Labour's Secret Plans to build 6000 houses in Morley

Both the Morley Ob and the YEP ran articles about the secret briefing Labour Leaders on Leeds City Council received on proposal for 6,000 houses along the corridor of Dewsbury Road in Morley. Those sites on the hit list include Laneside Farm in Churwell, Topcliffe Farm and Tingley Station (the greenfield site at the top of Dewsbury Road adjacent to Tingley Roundabout).

Such secrecy has no place in a democracy and the fact that MBI Councillors were excluded from such a briefing shows how desperate the Labour Party is to try and keep these plans quiet.

The arguments about such excessive development are well know. Local roads - especially Churwell Hill and Dewsbury Road - are already overwhelmed with traffic, our three high schools are full (as are most of our primaries!) local health centres cannot cope with this number of new patients and local infrastructure is already creaking under the strain. These greenspaces improve residents quality of life and they prevent urban sprawl.

The responsibility for this Housing Horror lies with the Labour Party's whose local Representatives Ed Balls and Cllr Neil Dawson back the previous Labour Governments Housing Targets of 33,000 new houses across the area over the next decade. Their view is a Developers Charter which hands over large greenfield and greenbelt sites across Morley for Developers to do as they wish.

The housing proposed will be neither affordable nor accommodate residents on Morley's present housing waiting list. The properties likely on such large estates will be large executive style housing for the wealthy while local families waiting for a decent and affordable homes to rent will be offered nothing. Present brownfield sites in Morley on Bridge Street and above Chartist Way could be developed for family housing but will remain as problem sites while Developers gallop along to Morley Greenfield sites and concrete them over!

But a further leak suggest even worse news! A secret proposal which would impose 7,100 new homes is presently being prepared for discussion later this month. Talk about a Labour Party out of touch!

What can you do to help? You can join our campaign by writing can to us at the MBI Office at Morley Town Hall, Queen Street, Morley giving your views or e mail us at keepmorleygreen@yahoo.co.uk. You can text your support for our campaign by texting "support" to 07813322737 and we will make sure your objection is lodged with Leeds City Council.

Together we can defeat these Labour Proposals. Residents will remember we took on the Labour controlled Leeds City Council in 2002 when they wanted to develop greenfield sites across Morley. We defeated them then and kept our greenfield sites Green for a decade. Don't let them get away with it this time. Support our campaign to keep Morley green for the next decade!

Liberty Court Welcome

The newly completed Liberty Court on Chapel Hill in Morley is a welcomed good news story.

The housing complex, which will provide 22 two bed roomed apartments for affordable rents to local families, has been a campaign MBI Councillors have been on with for over 4 years.

The previous building that Liberty Court replaced was an eyesore and dragged the area down. It was frequented by drug addicts and had a poor reputation for anti-social behaviour.

The new housing complex will provide affordable homes for local families from Morley. Many residents will leave their over large council homes to move into their new apartment and this again will generate housing opportunities for Morley families on the present housing waiting list.

The finance came from Leeds City Council, the HCA and the Housing association and has been delivered by a committed team who have delivered this fabulous project.

This shows what can be done to hit the three targets of regenerating an area, offering new affordable homes to local people and providing council homes to local families when they move to such new accommodation. It is a virtuous triangle and has informed the three projects we have delivered at Liberty Court, Kirkness Court on Corporation Street and the new homes on Glen Road.

But storm clouds are gathering! Despite our efforts to build on previously developed brownfield sites, secret briefings have taken place and a secret document has been leaked which proposes over 6,000 houses on greenbelt land in the Morley area. More of this later but for now we can welcome this new housing development which benefits the residents in Morley.